Islands
by Clara Collins
Summary: The year is 1930 and Isabella Swan, recently turned, has joined the Volturi Guard. Though she is unwilling at first, she learns to accept it. But what happens when, seventy years later, she meets her mate on an official mission? What do you do, when everything you've ever known changes? (BxE, canon)
1. Chapter 1

_This is my first ever Twilight fic - kind of late, seeing as BD2 was last year. [weeps into pillow] But nonetheless, here it is, sprung from my obsession with the Volturi. I apologize for any mistakes - I proof read it twice, but there is always room for human error. Review, please._

_Disclaimer: All characters in this story belong solely to Stephenie Meyer. Only the plot is mine._

* * *

**_Volterra, Italy, August 1930._**

The man in the great throne clasped his hands together, resting his head on them. 'Ah, young one, but how am I to know that you will not tell?' he mused. His skin was papery – thin and crisp and incredibly pale. Jet black hair framed his face and his crimson eyes stood out.

'Aro,' the one on the left chided, his hair a dark brown and curly to his shoulders. 'Let us be done, now, quickly.'

'Patience, Marcus,' Aro replied. He motioned for me to come forward, and rising from his chair, he grasped my hand. His hand was ice cold and as pale as his face. His eyes were vacant for a moment, his face twisted into an expression of confusion, of frustration.

'Can you not read her?' the blonde on the right enquired, his eyes drilling a hole in me with his gaze. His hair was long and a dark blonde, but like the other two his face was papery.

Aro shifted his head ever so slightly, a small tilt to the right. 'No,' he murmured. 'There is absolutely nothing at all.'

'How queer,' Marcus remarked. 'A shield, then, even in her human life.' The blonde merely let out a disgruntled snort.

'There are more pressing matters at hand, brothers. We must destroy her, for she knows too much. One slip of her tongue and our futures are gone. Furthermore, I cannot read her at all, and I simply have no idea of her intentions.' Aro's grip on my hand tightened and I winced.

'Must we destroy her?' the blonde almost pleaded Aro. 'A shield, like Marcus said previously, even now as a human.'

'But of course,' Marcus disagreed. 'We know nothing of her intentions.'

'Now, Caius, let us think this through,' Aro cautioned. The blonde one – Caius – merely rolled his eyes. 'But a shield... How fascinating. I wonder: will it manifest if she is changed?' Aro mused.

'It is worth a shot,' Marcus agreed. 'That is all I have to say.'

Aro nodded serenely at him and turned to his left. 'Caius?'

'I concur,' Caius said, still examining me closely. 'Let it be done, then.'

'Brilliant,' Aro breathed. 'Who would like to have the honor?' Marcus merely looked away, muttering something about not caring as long as I was changed.

_Wait! _My brain was screaming now. _They're going to bite you, damn it, run!_

I turned around, ready to run, when a cold hand grabbed my shoulder. I stifled a shriek, my heart beating so fast I could've sworn it would've burst free from the confines of my chest. No, they couldn't do this to me – I was rich and I had a mother and a father and they would expect me back home, though I didn't want to be.

Aro made a _tsk_ sound. 'Not so fast, young one.' He laughed then, a low sound that reminded me of bells. 'Your heart is beating so fast and you smell absolutely, well, delectable, child. I'll try my best to stop,' he laughed, throwing me a brief grin.

I tried to scream but he had already bitten me.

* * *

I woke up in a bright room, sunlight filtering through the blinds.

And… Wow. Everything was so clear now: I could see the dust particles swirling through the air, the cracks in the bricks, the indents on the bed's wooden post and the pollen on the flowers that stood in a crystal glass on the table. I inhaled a deep breath and relished in the feel of the dust swirling down my throat, as weird as it was. I realized I was wearing a long white night gown, and reaching out; I touched the silky fabric, wondering who had changed me from my blue dress.

Ah, the blue dress... all my memories of it are hazy. I wondered how long I had been out.

'Three and a half days, or eighty three hours and forty minutes if you'd like to be exact,' a voice spoke from the corner of the room. I must've spoken aloud – I did have a tendency to do that after all.

'Should've stayed out for another twenty minutes and made it exact, no?' I mused. 'Who are you?'

'Alec,' he responded, his voice silky smooth. 'And I suppose, though that would be impossible since your change is complete, seeing as we are unable to sleep.'

'Insomnia,' I hummed. 'Fascinating. Won't we get tired, though?'

'We never get tired,' he promised. 'How do you feel Isabella?'

I flexed my wrist, stretching my arm out. 'Not much different, I am still myself. As expected, I suppose, though I didn't really have expectations of any sort.'

'You are incredibly queer, Isabella. You must be thirsty, are you not?' Alec asked.

Thirsty…. So that was what the inferno in my throat was. It was raging hot, almost like a burning iron had been shoved in it. A foreign liquid pooled in my mouth – far too thin to be saliva – and in hopes of trying to quench my thirst, I swallowed, but it did nothing for me. The fire raged on.

'Very,' I barely managed to gasp out.

'Come,' he ordered, offering me his arm. 'We'll get you something to drink.' He smiled at me, secretively, as if he was on some sort of inside joke. 'I suppose our meals should be here by now.'

I grinned at him eagerly. 'What are we waiting for?'

* * *

**_Volterra, Italy, 1989._**

'I cannot believe you've been a vampire for nearly sixty years now,' Felix remarked. 'You still act like such a _newborn_.'

A snarl ripped through my lips. 'Kettles have no right to call the pot black.'

'Are you implying something, Isabella?' Felix laid back in his armchair, Demetri and Jane smirking next to him on the sofa.

'That you're a total hypocrite? Yes,' I said, as Alec, Chelsea, Renata, Santiago and Heidi walked through the doors.

'A hypocrite?' Felix scoffed. 'I am no such thing.' He shot me a dark look as he spotted Renata. Renata was Aro's personal guard, and almost never left her side. 'Renata,' he said, obviously pleased. 'What are you doing here? Where is Aro?' He smiled brightly at her, a smile that I knew he clearly reserved for her.

Alec came to sit next to me on the loveseat, slinging an arm around my shoulder and intertwining our fingers. Jane, of course, did not miss this and smiled knowingly. I could only grin at her. Jane had hated me when I was first changed – I had become Aro's… obsession, for lack of better word. He spent almost all his time with me, Renata hovering in the background and in turn, I became close with her. Now my shield – as Caius had predicted – was one of the strongest the Guard had ever seen. However it was only mental, though I had discovered I had a limited physical shield to myself a while back. But I digress – Jane hated me because I was Aro's obsession, as previously said. She liked being the center of attention, being the most talented and most respected, both out of fear and admiration (poor Alec had to sit in the shadows while she shone, but somehow he was O.K. with that), so when I took that away from her, she would be mad, obviously. Though I couldn't say I would've been the same if I was in her position – I like to regard myself as being a bit more humble. Nonetheless, Alec took a liking to me and as we spent more time together, I found myself liking him even more. But we were not mates – Marcus had seen that. Just two individuals who appreciated each other's company. Of course, not too long after Alec and I started spending time together, another more "talented" vampire joined and thus became Aro's new obsession – his obsessions are rather fickle, I must admit, chosen on his conquest for total power. Jane then proceeded to direct her hatred towards them and in turn, admitted to me that she had only hated me because I had become Aro's favorite. Still, we were O.K. now: sisters but not friends, a level only marginally higher than tolerance because Alec liked me so much.

Renata smiled shyly back at Felix. I had never understood why she was shy – a shield like her ought to be bold and arrogant. But Renata was the definition of unpredictable, and her shyness was endearing. 'He's spending time with Sulpicia and, God willing, I would not like to be around them.' We all nodded understandingly. While Aro was quieter in terms of vocalization, Sulpicia was very, very bold – and loud. 'What were you and Isabella arguing about?'

'He called me a newborn. How do you call me a _newborn_ when you act like one yourself? So I called him a hypocrite.' I shrugged my shoulders.

'Actually, Isabella, you are a newborn,' Heidi objected. 'We are all hundreds, if not thousands, of years old and you've barely hit sixty.'

'I am aware of that,' I affirmed. 'I do not mean newborn in the sense that I am plenty younger than all of you, but in the sense that I am not some wild, maniacal savage of a creature. Felix, however…' I trailed off.

'In that case, then you are correct,' Alec agreed.

'I am _not_ maniacal or wild or savage,' Felix protested.

'Really?' we all wondered, a hint of sarcasm seeping into our voices.

'Yes! I am none of that. I am strong, controlled and domesticated.'

'Domesticated? Really, Felix?' Renata sighed.

'But of course,' he replied. 'I am _tame_.'

'And I am still human,' I laughed.

* * *

_I hope you liked it and please, review. It would make me really happy._

_Clara._


	2. Chapter 2: Journey

_Here is the next chapter. (another one!) (well, I was on a ~roll~ and I had to take advantage of that, right?)_

_I apologize for any errors, once again, I looked over it thrice this time and didn't find any but hey, I wouldn't know._

_Please review/favorite/follow (if you could do all three, you are a saint in my eyes)!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except a really cute calendar with cats on it. All rights go to Stephenie Meyer. She has provided me a very intriguing world to explore and play around with._

* * *

**_Volterra, Italy, June 2006. _**

'Masters,' we greeted in unison as we entered the throne room, moving swiftly through the gilded wooden doors. It was just Renata, Felix, Demetri, Alec, Jane, Chelsea and I, the respective heads of the Guard.

'Children!' Aro smiled enthusiastically. It was not so much that he was pleased to see us, but rather pleased knowing that we were still completely his and completely available in his quest for power. 'How are you all?' He didn't wait for an answer, instead started moving down the line we had formed in front of him, grabbing our hands, starting with Felix. Eventually he came to Alec, who was standing next to me. Though he remained silent after releasing everybody's hands, he murmured, 'Interesting,' as he released Alec's. I shot Alec a quizzical glance, but Aro had already grasped mine. As always, I lifted my shield, as per Aro's request.

'Intriguing,' Aro declared, and Alec shot me a glance more questioning than the one I had given him. Our hands found each other's as Aro turned to Marcus and Caius. 'Our Isabella,' he said, my name rolling off his tongue in almost a purr, 'is contemplating her departure from the Guard.'

Marcus gave me a small smile. Like me, he too hated it here, ever since Aro had killed off his mate, but yet, he could not leave. Caius, though, was indifferent. He did not particularly like it here, but he did not hate it either. I don't think either of them would've stopped me from leaving. Caius and Marcus merely wished to keep the laws upheld in our world, and while Aro wished the same, he had an inborn quest for power, a fire that refused to be quenched. I bet that even if he had the entire Earth in his grasp, he would look to outer space.

'I see,' Caius murmured, though I knew he didn't really care.

Marcus stayed silent.

'Is that all you are going to say, my brothers?' Aro sighed. 'Bella, Bella, Bella,' he muttered, though in his smooth tone it sounded like a murmur. 'Not only are you truly beautiful as your name suggests, but you are...' He paused, his hand caressing my cheek as he searched for the right word. Alec's grip tightened. 'Of much value,' he said finally. 'You know none of us could bear to lose you.'

Alec nearly crushed my hand. I glared at him mentally, sending a thought to him: _go ahead, Alec, my hand is not about to shatter. _Apologetically he smiled at me and loosened his grip.

'I know,' I murmured in reply, sliding my shield back into place. None of them could bear to lose me? True, because they knew me for who I was, as a person – though 'person' is a long stretch in reference to my existence. Aro, on the other hand, merely wanted me in his quest for power. Over the years, my shield had expanded and been developed into such a powerful tool that I understood why he wouldn't let me go. Now I could shield anyone within a five-kilometer radius and lift my shield for an hour at most. I could also send thoughts and images into other people's head, but I could not read their thoughts – something that Aro so desperately wanted me to be able to do, but alas, I failed time and time again. Not that I cared.

'We will discuss this further later,' Aro decided, stepping in front to face the whole group. 'More important matters are at hand.'

Felix and Demetri leaned forward eagerly as Renata, Alec, Jane and I rolled our eyes. They were always eager for a fight, ready to show off their brute strength and combat skill.

'We have been notified of a newborn army forming in Seattle, Washington, heading towards the small town of Forks where the Olympic coven resides.' This, of course, caused a stir. A newborn army _and_ the Cullens? A newborn army was one of the few illegal things disallowed under vampire laws. After the ridiculous wars in southern America in the eighteen hundreds, Marcus, Aro and Caius had effectively banned the formation of newborn armies. Since then, there had not been anybody who dared to break the law – till now, at least. As for the Olympic coven - the Cullens were led by Carlisle Cullen, the very first 'vegetarian' vampire of our kind, so to speak. He and his coven did not drink human blood, only from animals, out of their sheer compassion for humanity. The others and I had discussed this plenty times and even experimented but it could never compare to the liquid that flowed through a human's arteries and veins, pulsing and warm.

Aro gave us a look that immediately made us shut up. 'Their numbers stand at roughly one hundred as of now. They have been the cause behind the killings that have made the news in Seattle and the government is guessing it is the work of gangs, or maybe a group of serial killers. Of course, this is far too inconspicuous to be tolerated and if we do not act soon, we may be viewed as fools even more than we already are, and we cannot allow that, can we?'

'No, Master,' we all chimed. 'I say we go now,' added Felix and Demetri shot him a wide grin.

'Patience, child,' Aro said reproachfully. 'You will be going – soon. As there are one hundred or so of them, I suppose that all of you will be enough and no extra guard will be necessary, unless you deem it so. We have received notification from the Cullens; they will be participating in the fight. They have a seer, who predicts that the fight will happen in two days' time. Do take this time to strategize; your tickets are booked for tomorrow morning. That is all,' Aro finished, turning around and gliding back to his ornate throne, staring straight ahead.

Bowing, we exited the room and headed for an empty room on the third floor of the castle that we always used for battle strategy.

Lazily, we all took our places around the long wooden oak table. Felix threw his feet up and we all groaned simultaneously – it was _so_ Felix. As soon as Alec and I, who were the last ones in, took our seats, Jane immediately began talking, as Head of the Guard.

'Seeing as they're only a hundred or so of them, this will be easy,' Jane declared and we all nodded our heads in assent. 'Chelsea, make sure the newborns feel committed to their creator, whoever they are. They need to have the constant thought of them risking their lives to protect them. It would be easy, from there. Renata, you'll be on the offensive with Felix and Demetri. The three of you are to rip arms, legs, fingers, hair; anything you can grab. Especially their heads, though, take note.' Jane eyed them carefully, making sure they were paying attention to her. 'Isabella, we do not know if there'll be anybody with abilities like us, especially physiological ones. Your job is to shield us from them. Alec, you stay with her and guard her.' Alec only nodded too eagerly at this – while we did flirt and fool around a bit, we were truly nothing more than best friends. He was more than happy to protect me. 'Nobody is to touch Isabella; her shield is going to protect us all. If things get too rough and Alec alone cannot handle it, Isabella will notify Renata through a thought and she will take Alec's place. Alec will switch to an offensive position and keep Isabella safe. I will, of course, be walking around and inflicting pain on whoever is getting out of hand.' She smiled, almost sadistically. It must be all the time with Caius over the last few centuries that made her border on sadism, I theorized. But she was willing to protect me, even with Renata, our most powerful defense. _Thank you_, I sent to Jane_. I appreciate it_. She gave me a small smile in return.

'Sister,' Alec called. 'How about I remove them completely and we burn them all alive?' he proposed. 'And when they're in the fire, I'll bring them back.'

I slapped his arm. 'Be _nice_.'

'Where's the fun in _that_?' Felix groaned. 'We might as well not go.' Demetri nodded fervently in agreement.

'Brother,' Jane replied, her tone castigating. 'The newborns have done nothing wrong. They are ignorant. Though I would not let them live, I will not subject them to such torture. You may save that for the creator, brother; I would be more than happy to let you do it.'

'Fine,' Alec acquiesced, just as Felix and Demetri let out a huge whoop.

This would be fun.

* * *

The weather in Seattle was cool, with a northeasterly breeze. But it didn't really matter – I didn't feel cold anymore. Though what was left of my human memories were ridiculously hazy, I remembered one thing very clearly – the weather. The way I'd shiver when the wind blew or the way I'd feel my cheeks heat in the summer sun.

We had brought nothing but our cloaks with us and hence the moment we moved through customs, we started planning which way was best to go. Felix and Demetri were set on stealing cars – Grand Theft Auto a la Seattle – which Jane strongly opposed, seeing as we were supposed to remain inconspicuous. Renata and Chelsea were staring at the flight arrival and departure board, debating enthusiastically about countries and cities all over the globe.

Alec sat next to me on the uncomfortable plastic chairs, the two of us watching Felix, Demetri and Jane in clear amusement.

'I do not understand why they're so set on stealing the car,' Alec murmured, constantly surveying the area around us for any sign of threat.

I rolled my eyes. 'Stop being so paranoid, Alec. I do have an idea why though.'

'Pray tell.' He leaned forward, looking directly into my eyes, crimson to crimson. He grinned and I couldn't help but grin back.

'Hello?' I rolled my eyes again. 'Video games, Alec, video games. Or are you becoming senile?'

'I am not senile, Isabella. And yes, I see where you are coming from. The idea of driving down a sidewalk and killing pedestrians is _so_ appealing.'

I shrugged and was about to reply when Jane started to smile – it was the one she made whenever she was about to inflict pain. Immediately, I cast my shield over Felix and Demetri. Obviously, she noticed this and turned to glare at me.

_'Not here,' _I mouthed. '_Wait till we're out of public_.'

She frowned but stopped anyway; knowing Aro would almost kill her if she did something in public.

'Anyway,' I continued, turning back to Alec. 'Think of the bloodshed left behind.'

I wasn't sure if I had imagined his eyes darkening. 'We could help clean up,' he suggested.

'Alec!' I hit his arm. 'We fed just before we left.'

He shrugged. 'Blood should never go to waste.'

I didn't have time to reply – Jane had already made a decision. We would make the journey to Forks on foot, heading east once we crossed city limits. Felix and Demetri looked vaguely unsatisfied but made no complaint. It was not wise to go against Jane, and I wouldn't be there every time to shield them.

Quietly, we made our way towards city limits. We couldn't run, unfortunately – a brisk walk was the most we could manage. And since we never got tired, we didn't need to stop. We hit city limits in an hour, tops, and were greeted by a stretch of dense forest.

'Great,' Felix muttered. '_Trees_.'

Jane shot him a look, a ghost of a smile on her face and he shut up instantly. She started running, then, and we took formation behind her. Felix and Demetri ran behind her, followed by Chelsea and Renata, while Alec and I were at the back. The forest was thick and incredibly green. I had never seen so many shades of green in one place and trust me: I had seen a lot of green in my existence as an immortal. With my sight I could see every shade crystal clear, every leaf and every branch stood out. I think I might've spotted a deer or two. The best thing about all of this was, however, the fact that no matter where I looked, I never tripped. I was always on track, always next to Alec. The browning leaves under my feet barely made a sound as I passed. It was more flying than running, and if any human were here, they would've mistaken it for a passing breeze.

About an hour in, we emerged at the empty clearing, a small empty patch in the forest.

Stepping forward, Jane stood in front of all of us, while we stood in a straight line behind her, with Felix and Demetri at the flanks. As she lifted her hood, so did we. And staring right at us was the Olympic coven.

* * *

_Next chapter we get some interaction between the guard and the Cullens, between Bella and Edward._

_EXCITING STUFF. : )_

_And guess what? It's already written. All I'm asking is for one review for the next one ( : _

_Clara._


	3. Chapter 3: Meeting the Cullens

_I got my first two reviews, whoop! And here's another update - _again_. I'm wonderful, aren't I? (don't agree, you'll just inflate my ego, ha.) I'm totally spoiling you guys - don't get used to it, though (really - don't). I'm almost euphoric from the response I've received and this is kind of an impulsive moment. Didn't really expect myself to update till Friday, but hey, it's a good kind of impulsive for you and a bad kind of impulsive for me because updates will start getting spaced further out after this one (this is what happens when you make the gigantic mistake of starting a new fic in the midst of your school holidays! Pure genius). Don't kill me when they do._

_I hope you're ready for the coolness that is chapter three - featuring the Cullens. This was fun to write - I hope I did the BxE interaction some justice. If not, please, bitch about it in a review ; )_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except a bottle of neon hot pink nail lacquer. All rights go to Stephenie Meyer. She has provided me a very exciting world to tinker with._

* * *

**_Forks, Washington, June 2006._**

'Hello,' the blonde said, stepping forward. His expression was smooth, but peaceful. 'I am Carlisle and this is my family.' Six people stood behind him, all incredibly inhumanly beautiful, like we all were.

I was unaware if this family had any abilities, apart from their seer, so I lifted my shield and placed it over the others, sending a quick thought to Jane. _I do not know anything about their abilities but I will not take any risks. _She didn't turn around to look at me, instead, she lifted her chin just a fraction.

_How queer_, I thought, _that he refers to them as family._

Jane nodded. 'It is nice to meet you, Carlisle, though it is such a shame we had to meet under such circumstances. Aro has told me about you.'

'Good things, I hope,' Carlisle replied. 'This is Esme, my mate, and my children, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice and Edward.' My followed down the line as he spoke. The big, burly one – Emmett, I guessed – had an arm around the blonde – Rosalie. Jasper and Alice were also mated, I guessed, from the way they stood next to each other. All that was left was… Edward. My thoughts trailed to a halt when I met his eyes.

Like previous vegetarians we had come across in the past, his eyes were gold, a deep butterscotch color. His eyes were confused, but his face was smoothed into a mask of disinterest – his face! He was incredibly beautiful, even for a vampire. He was one of the few whose pale skin suited them. His features were angular and perfect. His cheekbones were high and his nose was straight. His jaw was well-defined, contrasting against the soft curve of his full lips. Atop his head sat a tangle of thick, unruly hair in a strange color that I could only describe as a mix of bronze, red and burgundy. His gaze held mine and I could not bring myself to look away.

Unable to resist, I sent him a thought: _hello_. He raised a perfect eyebrow at me and I smiled in response.

'It is so very nice to meet you all,' Jane commented and I was surprised by the sincerity in her tone. Jane, sincere? The world must be ending. 'We ought to talk later – we have battle plans to discuss.'

'Of course,' Carlisle agreed. 'How would you like to proceed?'

'Perhaps you tell us your strategy first and then we'll tell you ours?'

Carlisle nodded his head once, a precise motion. 'My son will tell you more. Jasper?'

_Queer, indeed, _I thought again, _that he refers to another member of his coven as his son. Fascinating, too_.

The blonde stepped forward and began to speak. His voice was low and his tone serious, holding just the slightest hint of a Southern accent. 'As you may know, newborns are incredibly unpredictable creatures. I have had experience with them and thus trained my family to deal with them as such.' I shot Alec a thought: _was this the same Jasper involved in Maria's army?_ He mouthed _yes_ in return. 'Carlisle and Esme are too compassionate to fight and so they will be in charge of building the fire and disposing of the remains. Emmett here is the strongest amongst us, and his brute strength will be an advantage. Edward is the fastest and a mind reader and hence is able to predict the moves the newborn will make. Alice, my mate, and Rosalie, are both quick and nimble. Alice is our seer - she will have no trouble knowing of the newborn's movements and will have no problem in the fight.' I eyed the dark-haired girl behind him. She was incredibly petite, maybe an inch or two under five feet, and a big ball of energy.

Jane nodded. 'It will be easy, then. Do you know how many are coming?'

'We've estimated fifty,' said Edward, his voice soft and smooth and inherently musical.

Jane shook her head. 'We are looking at a number closer to a hundred.' There was an audible gasp from the Cullens. 'There is no cause for concern. With the seven of us and the seven of you, this will be an easy fight. In fact, two of us will not be participating as offensives and I will not be fighting at all.'

'What do you plan to do?' Jasper enquired, his head tilted slightly to the side in curiosity.

'Felix and Demetri are our strongest and most skilled in combat. They will be our primary offensives, along with Renata. Chelsea will also participate, though her main focus is to keep the newborns committed to their creator, to keep them willing to risk their lives for them. Isabella will shield us and, of course, all of you, seeing as we are unaware if any of them have special powers. She will stay stationary at the center of the field. Alec will be there as her physical shield. If things get too out of hand, she will notify Renata and Renata will take Alec's place as her shield and he turns offensive. I will remain on the sidelines and take out whoever attempts to escape. You have mentioned that your leader and his mate will be managing the pyre?'

'Yes,' Carlisle affirmed. 'Esme and I will do exactly that. Where ought we to start the fire?'

Jane debated this for a second. 'We can put it in the center, I suppose.'

'Sister,' Alec cautioned. 'Isabella and I will be in the center. We all know how uncoordinated she can be. God forbid she falls in.'

'Your pessimism is vexatious,' Jane sighed. 'Fine. Slightly off-center then, closer to the south.'

'Of course,' said Carlisle. 'May I ask a question?'

'Go ahead.'

'How will Isabella alert Renata?' Carlisle questioned, looking at me strangely.

Jane turned to look at me. 'Perhaps you'd like to answer this?'

I stepped forward to stand next to her. 'Of course,' I agreed. 'Even as a human, Aro was unable to read my thoughts. Of course, he was fascinated by this and wondered if it would manifest if I was changed. Change me he did. My shield now covers a five-kilometer radius and I can lift it from me for an hour at most. After I was changed, Aro took time to develop my shield. We've succeeded in morphing it to the point where I am able to send thoughts and images to others.'

'Can you read minds?' Edward inquired, stepping forward. His gold eyes burned with curiosity, his gaze on me intense.

I shook my head, holding his gaze. 'No. Aro wishes I could, but I cannot.' I laughed mirthlessly. 'Not like he'd need another mind reader. And I am fiercely protective of my own privacy so to violate someone else's in the way I would never want to happen to mine makes me feel hypocritical.'

'You _are_ a hypocrite,' Felix muttered.

'Felix, hush. If that is all, I suggest we prepare for the fight,' I concluded. 'How long do we have, Alice? I presume you know, though if I am wrong, I apologize.'

Edward opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but closed it and took a step back.

'Fifty minutes. They're nearing the shore now,' Alice announced, her expression blank. 'And – oh! Their creator is with them.'

Next to me, Alec rubbed his hands together in glee. 'Fantastic.' Jane rolled her eyes.

'Let's get this party started!' Demetri whooped.

'Imbecile,' Renata, Chelsea and I said almost at the same time as we sat down on the dead log as gracefully as possible. The three of us sat there quietly, watching as the Cullens and the others. Felix, Demetri, Emmett and Jasper seemed to have hit it off and were now enthusiastically wrestling each other. Jane and Alec kept to themselves as usual. Carlisle and Esme were at the far end of the clearing, hands linked, talking in hushed tones. Alice and Rosalie sat on the dry grass, discussing the upcoming fall/winter runways and their likely trends. Where was Edward, I wondered.

'Hello,' a voice spoke from behind me, soft and gentle. Renata and Chelsea giggled and excused themselves and started running around the clearing.

I turned around and was met by the spectacular eyes of Edward Cullen. 'Your eyes,' I blurted out, then freezing. 'I-uh… your eyes are beautiful,' I said lamely. It was true, though – they were pools of liquid gold and incredibly mesmerizing. Looking at them was kind of like drowning – easy to get yourself stuck in it, hard to get out.

He chuckled. 'So are yours, though I am not a fan of human blood. May I sit?' I jumped around inside – he called _my _eyes beautiful.

'I'm not stopping you, am I?' I smiled cheekily at him. He folded himself neatly onto the log, his long legs stretching out in front of him.

'How old are you?' he said suddenly.

'So it's your turn to blurt out words, is it?'

'Yeah, I guess it is.' He looked strangely bashful, rubbing the back of his neck.

'Hasn't anybody ever told you it's rude to ask a lady her age?' I chastised playfully.

'I apologize for my lack of manners,' he said sincerely, his molten orbs burning into me. 'Will you tell me, though?'

I sighed. 'I was born in 1913 in Milan, Italy. I vacationed in Volterra in 1930, where I came across a rogue vampire. Long story short, I was brought to the Volturi and changed. Physically I am seventeen but my actual age is ninety-three.'

'I'm seventeen, too.' He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes.

'Tell me your story,' I pressed politely, smiling at him.

His answering smile was dazzling. 'I was born in Chicago, in 1901. In 1918, it was the time of the Spanish Influenza epidemic. It claimed first my father, who was a lawyer, and then my mother. Carlisle was my doctor at the time. From what he's said, my mother requested Carlisle to change me, though how she knew we never understood. When my mother had finally died and I was the only one left, he did. I was the first in his coven, so to speak, followed by Esme and then Rosalie. Like I just said, I'm seventeen physically, but a hundred and five years old.'

'At least you were dying,' I murmured, picking at the bark I sat on. 'I was merely another sacrifice made in Aro's conquest.'

'Do you not enjoy your existence?' Edward asked.

'Do I enjoy it? No, not exactly. I don't know how to put this into words.' I frowned.

'I'm sure I'll understand.'

'I don't enjoy the fact that I have to kill to survive but I do enjoy the luxury of time that I am given. To never have to worry about not being able to complete something, to be able to take your time… it's something I wanted so dearly in my human life,' I told him wistfully.

'What was your human life like?' He was eager, I could tell.

'My parents were successful and wealthy – incredibly wealthy. I was a socialite of sorts - that's what they call it today. It was disgusting, honestly. They were desperate for me to get married and very nearly arranged my marriage before I had disappeared. I understood their logic in the sense that I would climb the social ladder, but that was never one of my life's goals. I just wanted a man who loved me and who would be anything for me. I was rushed from a dress fitting to a luncheon day after day and I never really had time for myself. I hated it.'

He laughed a short, melodious sound. 'My parents were moderately wealthy so I can see where you were coming from. Though they never aspired like your parents did.'

I smiled softly. 'That's why I wasn't upset about becoming immortal at first. When I first woke, Alec told me all about this life, including the fact that I'd never need to sleep. That intrigued me and delighted me to no end. To be able to do whatever I wanted… within reason, of course,' I added, giving him a sheepish grin. 'But as time passed I missed my humanity. I missed eating human food and I hated for putting myself on a throne and calling myself God and taking away lives. I hated myself and I still do. The worst part was that I had experimented with animal blood a few times and every time I tried, I'd cave and massacre countless humans as a result of my failure. I've learnt not to try for much, Edward,' I said quietly, loving the way his name rolled so easily off my tongue. 'I simply exist and delight in whatever brings me happiness, though it is usually temporary.'

He looked at me sadly, and again, looked like he was about to say more, when Alice chirped that the newborns weren't too far away. She was bouncing in clear excitement, on the verge of implosion, I feared. I hoped that the pixie would be safe in battle, though why I hoped I did not understand.

Immediately we rose, and formed two lines, back to back, in the center of the clearing. I was in the middle of the Guard, Alec to my right and Renata to my left. Edward's back was facing mine and when I stumbled, I grabbed onto his hand for support out of pure reflex and almost gasped at the surge of electricity I felt. His hand was both hard and soft at the same time, and like the rest of our kind, ice cold. He must've felt it too – I heard him inhale sharply and his hand tensed. I released it, though, saving both of us from further embarrassment as we waited for the newborn's arrival.

We were ready.

* * *

_Next chapter is the fight! It's in the works right now but I promise e__ven more coolness, hell yeah (I try, I try)._

_This chapter, as well as the first two, are only about 2k words each, which sucks and I'm sorry. Hopefully the next one will be longer, but me writing longer chapters means more mistakes, eek. Still, I promise a longer one next time, __at least 4k. Promise._

_Once again, please review/follow/favorite! Thank you : )_

_Clara_


	4. Chapter 4: Battle

_Hey guys! I said I'd update on Friday and guess what, I did : ) Well, it's Friday where I am now but for those in the States it might still be Thursday for you. Oh, well. _

_Thank you guys so much for your reviews on the past three chapters, you all made me smile. Your reviews are my motivation to push this baby out for you guys (did I really call it baby? Oh, God, I feel like a pregnant woman now). This chapter was written really fast, everything kind of just came out. The fight didn't turn out the way I expected it but I'm still pretty pleased with it. In this chapter, we explore a bit of Edward's and Alec's POVs, as indicated within the bolded square brackets. Anything else is under Bella. Do tell me what you think about their POVs, and whether I should write more in them or stop them altogether._

_And yay - I hit the 4k mark! Woohoo. I totally did not expect to. When I finished writing this, only then did I check the wordcount and I expected 3,5k at most but I was pleasantly surprised - 4,244 words! Without even trying. I am in a state of euphoria. So if you like long chapters, rejoice! If you don't, complain. In a review. Thank you : D_

_As always, I have proof read this twice and though I did not discover any mistakes, there is always room for human error. All mistakes are 100% mine. _

_This author's note is really long... how did I just realize that? Sorry, really. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. This is her sandbox, I have just built a very pretty sandcastle to play with._

* * *

**Chapter Four: Battle**

The newborns emerged from the north of the clearing, their gazes focused and their eyes feral. As Jane had said, there were roughly a hundred or so of them. Their creator, who would've been easily spotted, was nowhere to be found.

Renata hissed beside me. 'Absolutely vile,' she sneered in disgust.

'We should just take the easy way out, like I suggested,' Alec commented and I resisted the urge to slap him.

'You sadistic vamp,' I chided playfully. 'I wish I could take part, though. Do you think I could persuade Jane?'

He thought for a moment. 'I doubt it. We don't know what they can do, like she said.'

I merely grunted in response as the others pounced, heading straight for the newborns. I flexed my shield, making sure I had everybody covered. In my mind, my shield was like a light blue ray, and every person I had covered would glow blue.

As Alec artfully fended off a newborn that got too close for either of our liking, I took time to survey the fight. As predicted, we were winning. Carlisle and Esme stood not too far off, next to a sizable pyre, purple-black smoke rising into the sky. The smoke was almost fragrant, with floral undertones. Even in death, we smelled sweet.

Emmett and Jasper were exceptional, their strength and technique remarkable. Just by watching Jasper's movements, I could tell he had experience with newborns, even without him telling me. His movements were careful and precise, always a step ahead. Efficiently, the two of them took down a handful, running back to toss them into the pyre each time. Felix, Demetri, Renata and Chelsea were nothing new; I had seen them all in training before. They were all immensely skilled, bringing newborns down with the skillfulness of a well-oiled machine. Alice and Rosalie almost looked like they were dancing, especially Alice. Their movements were lithe and graceful, inviting their prey onto one last dance before they perished in the fire. Jane was being, well, Jane – we would know she had effectively taken out a newborn when a sharp cry punctuated the fight. I searched around quickly for Edward – I was inexplicably worried about him. I found him in the west of the clearing, knocking off three newborns. It was plain that he was losing and if nobody intervened, he would lose a limb - or worse, his head.

I turned to Alec. 'Edward needs help; you'll be fine by yourself, right?'

He rolled his eyes as he ripped an arm from a brunette. 'You seem to forget that I am plenty older and more skilled than you, child.'

I let loose a snarl at his condescending tone. 'I shall leave you to your devices, oh senile one.'

Turning around, I ran towards Edward. I willed my legs to move faster – two of them were already holding him back and the third was pulling at his jaw. When I was a few feet away, I leapt and landed on top of the third newborn and pulled her off Edward. She attempted to claw at my face and pull at my limbs, but I was far more skillful than her. Her instincts were primitive, and every move she made I had already seen before. With an ear-splitting screech, I took pleasure in ripping her head off slowly; her jaw caught wide open in a scream. Quickly, I ran towards the pyre, dumped in her remains and ran back to help Edward, fending off two newborns' attempts to pull at my arm in the process.

Edward caught sight of me and mouthed _thank you_. Rolling my eyes, I sent a thought: _you can do that later after we finish this_. The two newborns he was still struggling with were both male and thus stronger. I ripped at the first one, a blonde, disentangling him from Edward's grasp. I was filled with an almost macabre glee in taking the blonde's arms and legs off slowly – punishment for touching Edward. In moments, he was dismembered and decapitated and burning.

I turned back to Edward – the last newborn I had left him with was still fighting with him, though he was a few limbs short now. Before I could run and help, he had ripped his head off at his mouth. Neither of us wasted time in picking up his body: I got the limbs while Edward carried the head and torso. The two of us sprinted to the fire and tossed the various parts in and watched the smoke darken and its fragrance intensify.

Grabbing my hand, he pulled me away from the mass of smoke. Neither of us ignored the shock that once again passed through our contact, nor did we make an attempt to pull away. We stood at the side, panting, surveying the scene. Most of the newborns seemed to have perished; only a few were –

'Isabella, behind you!' Alec screamed at me, his ruby eyes blazing.

I turned around and was met by the sight of a newborn coming right for me. Frankly speaking, I should've been ready, I should've reacted, I should've let my training kick in, I should've turned and run, at least. But I didn't do any of those things. Instead I stood there like a fool, my mouth hanging open, half-caught in a scream.

Vaguely I heard the sound of my left arm being ripped off before the newborn sunk his teeth into my torso.

* * *

**[Edward]**

I had been assisting my parents, Carlisle and Esme, with collecting stray bits of vampire flesh, since the fight was over, when I heard one of the twins – Alec – scream.

'Isabella, behind you!'

A newborn was coming straight for her, his expression savage and his eye wild. Isabella stood there, frozen, her stance tense. I turned to run, begging my limbs to run faster, to take faster strides, to do _anything_ just to get me to her. But I wasn't fast enough – the newborn had ripped her arm off and sunk his teeth into her by the time I was a few feet away.

I didn't bother concealing the snarl that ripped from my lips. How dare he touch her? How did Alice not see this coming? How had she allowed him to attack her? How did this happen?

I leapt for him, clawing and tearing at him with a vengeance I never knew I possessed. I would make his death painful, I was sure of it. I ripped off one arm and one leg, and painfully pulled at his fingers on the arm that was still attached. My teeth could not resist sinking into his hard, cold skin, right at his jugular. I waited a few seconds to let the venom spread before throwing him into the fire alive. Yes, his death was very, very, very painful.

I stood still, watching the pyre, when a shriek reminded me what was more important: Isabella. I ran straight back to her, needing to know what happened to my Isabella.

* * *

**[Alec]**

All the newborns were gone, now nothing more than ash, burned with their creator. As Jane had promised, I was allowed to take her out - a fiery redhead named Victoria, a name far too feminine for a monster like her. I let the mist seep from my palms and envelop her, and with Felix and Demetri, we ripped off her limbs before tossing her into the fire. As I removed the mist, her shrieks got louder and louder. I was morbidly pleased by her begging - she did deserve it, after all.

I was surveying the clearing, as Felix and Chelsea removed the remaining limbs and fingers that lay scattered on the dry grass, when I saw a stray newborn leap from the bushes and head straight for Isabella.

'Isabella, behind you!' My voice was thick with fear. Had I been close enough to run there in time, I would've – she was on the other side of the clearing. I watched her freeze when she heard my scream – she made absolutely no move to defend herself. I was appalled – what was going on?

Jane, Felix, Demetri, Renata, Chelsea and I dashed towards her; even the fastest our legs could manage was not fast enough. He had already bitten her and ripped off her left arm, before the messy-haired Cullen – Edward – ripped him off her and tore him to shreds with fierce avengement.

Carlisle had already reached her by the time we got there. He focused on reattaching her arm, while all we could do was watch in horror as she writhed and twisted on the ground. She shrieked, delirious with pain.

'Is there anything we can do?' Renata asked frantically. She and Isabella were especially close.

Carlisle shook his head sadly. 'The venom is already in her system and there's nothing we can do to get it out now. Her arm will be fine within an hour or so, she'll just have a nasty scar. She'll come back in about three hours, tops, though she'll still be in immense pain.'

'We need to get her back to the house,' Edward said out of nowhere – I didn't even realize he had come back. His features were gnarled into a grimace with anguish.

'Of course,' Carlisle agreed, and that was all it took for Edward to scoop her into his arms. The three of them took off west in a blur, even for our kind's sight.

'We'll finish it up here,' Jane promised.

Esme nodded. 'We'll run back to the house. Do join us when you're done.'

'We will,' said Jane. 'Renata, follow them.' Eagerly, Renata nodded and shot off, the rest of the Cullens following behind her.

Jane, Felix, Demetri and Chelsea began their walk back to the fire. The Guard was supposed to wait till there was nothing but ash left. We settled onto the cold ground, our legs stretching in front of us.

'Marcus was right,' Jane murmured, focusing on the smoke. It perfumed the air around us, as it billowed up into the sky.

'What do you mean?' Chelsea wondered. 'Right about what?'

'Edward and Isabella are mates,' she announced. 'He told Felix, Demetri and I right before we left. Said it was something we should look out for.'

'How would he know?' I couldn't help the bitterness in my tone. I knew Cullen would not join the Guard, and it was never wise to separate mates, thus Isabella would go to him. The idea of losing my closest friend was sour on my tongue.

Unfortunately, the others mistook it for something else.

'Jealous are we, brother?' Felix laughed. 'Fret not; your mate will come along soon.'

I rolled my eyes. 'I don't like her like that, Felix. How many times must I repeat myself?'

'They have nothing but friendship between them,' Chelsea confirmed.

'Thank you, Chelsea,' I said. 'How would he know?' I repeated.

'Marcus has met Edward before, and when he met Isabella, he could see the connection, even though neither of them had met the other. It's another aspect of his power that hasn't been explored till now because it hasn't happened,' Jane explained. 'Aro is particularly interested.'

'Aro is interested in _everything_, sister,' I snorted. 'I thought we established that decades ago.'

Jane rolled her eyes. 'Nonetheless, it is true.'

None of us had anything to say, so we sat and watched the black smoke.

* * *

**[Edward]**

Carlisle had said three hours at most. Yet it was nearing the second hour and she was no better than the first. He had left to check on everybody else, whilst I stayed with her.

Her slender frame lay sprawled on the bed, her face twisted in agony. I could smell the newborn's venom, the venom that tainted her scent. Freesia was now infected with impurity. Her cloak was ripped from when her arm was detached, and what was left of it was folded into a neat stack and laid next to her lustrous mahogany hair. I took the time to examine her closely. I had gotten a pretty good look when we talked, but that seemed like ages ago – and I could never tire of her face, one so beautiful it would make a Botticelli angel look like a demon. Her face was pale, like all of us, but instead of the slightly grey hue we all had, hers was a pristine white. Not pale – white, ivory. Her eyes were tightly closed, the lilac circles under them darkening. I knew she would need to hunt when she woke. I was almost afraid of the crimson orbs that were under her lids, a clear sign of her diet.

_Edward? _Alice called me in her thoughts. _Bella will wake up exactly three hours and fifty seconds after. Please don't worry. I'll send Alec up; he's offered to cut off her senses so she feels numbness. I know, I know – it is better than feeling the pain, though._

'Thank you, Alice,' I whispered, knowing she'd hear it even on the first floor, where my family and the Guard were congregated.

I didn't feel comfortable with the Guard here, but they were here for Isabella. I knew they were some of the most talented vampires in the world, but I could read their thoughts – they were all equally was worried as my family was. Unless they thought anything malignant, I would not provoke them. I'd be stupid to do so, really.

A knock at the door almost startled me – Alec.

'May I come in?' he whispered.

'Of course.' I stood up and allowed him to take my place beside Isabella, before I moved to lean against the glass window.

He didn't reply – instead took my seat, and got straight to work, sighing. 'This isn't the first time,' he muttered, the black mist starting to seep out of his palms. Her features slowly smoothened out as she relaxed. 'I'm thankful that her shield weakens enough for me to be able to help her when she's in pain.'

'I still cannot read her thoughts,' I admitted, frustrated. 'How unfair.'

He laughed without much humor. 'My ability is beneficial to her in times like this… whereas yours just intrudes on her privacy. She doesn't like having others see her in pain, or in need of help, and she'll be mad at me for doing this when she wakes up, though she has to thank me.' His tone was almost smug.

'Alice says she has over an hour left, but I can't wait that long,' I fretted. 'I need to know if she's okay… some part of me just needs to. I'm ridiculously concerned over a vampire that I've just met.'

He shook his head, almost chuckling. _Marcus was right_, he thought.

'What?' I questioned. What the hell was he talking about?

He raised his eyes to meet mine nervously. _You and Isabella… you're mates._

My throat hitched. '_Mates?_' I said, my voice weak.

* * *

**[Isabella]**

It felt like fire. That would be the most accurate description for this feeling.

The inferno was large and wild, its embers tickling the base of my throat and my breasts, and I felt it all the way down in my toes. It felt like a flower, blooming, slowly, but surely, till my entire body felt like flames. My change had been worse, but this was the first time I had been bitten as a vampire. Several wordless shrieks escaped my mouth, but they were all I could manage. The cool hand that held mine squeezed tighter, its grasp urgent. 'Bella,' they cried, the musicality of their voice making even an anguished plea like this sound like a masterpiece. Nobody had called me Bella in a long time – only my parents in my human life ever did, though they referred to me by name as little as possible. _Help me_, I wanted to beg. _Put out this bloody fire, put it out!_ Words refused to leave my lips, trapped inside my mouth like a bird in a cage. Wings fluttered angrily at the metal, but they clamped shut, declining even a single vowel of its passage.

The fire raged on – but suddenly… there was nothing.

* * *

My eyes fluttered open and I greedily took in my surroundings, gulping down fresh air. Eventually my eyes landed on the tense figure leaning against the window on the far side of the room. He was as beautiful as the last time I had saw him: the hardness of his jaw and the delicate arch of his full lips. His eyes were a dark gold, drowning in an unnamed emotion.

'Edward?' My voice was barely a whisper – the fire that remained in my throat was still too overpowering.

'Bella,' he sighed. His voice oozed relief and he immediately relaxed. 'Finally. I thought you would never wake up.'

'Neither did I,' I admitted hoarsely. 'How bad is it?'

'I took him out before he could do anything worse.' He paused then, choosing his next words carefully. 'You have a bite, near your collarbone, and he managed to tear off your left arm.'

I lifted my arm experimentally and winced almost instantly. 'Ow.'

His smile did not touch his eyes. 'Do you want anything?'

'No… I need to hunt.' The burn was almost unbearable.

'Of course.' His tone was gracious. 'My family merely asks that you do not hunt in Forks.'

I nodded – my thirst was too far gone for me to speak. _Please call the others for me_, I pushed into his mind. _I can't take this anymore_.

'Come with me downstairs, they're all there,' Edward said, reaching out to take my hand.

Gratefully, I clasped it in mine and half-relished in the spark. _Can he feel that_, I wondered, _like I do?_

As gracefully as I could manage, I descended the stairs hand-in-hand with Edward. It was something so different, yet so familiar and so comfortable, so easy.

'Isabella!' I heard a cry – Renata – I think, and then a body slammed into me. A loud crack echoed through the house at the collision of stone on stone. Her arms tightened almost painfully around me and I was forced to let Edward's hand go.

_Renata, _I told her_, I can't take this much longer. Can we hunt, please?_

She released her hold and held me at arms' length. 'Of course,' she said in understanding. 'I'll follow you. Carlisle,' she called, turning to face the blonde vampire. 'I understand the nearest we can hunt is Port Angeles?'

He nodded. 'That is correct. We do not wish to cause suspicion of our residence here.'

Renata bobbed her head once, and the next thing I knew, we were out the door, just the two of us. I ran quickly and she struggled to catch up.

_We'll be back soon, please explain to your family and tell them I'm sorry. I do not like this very much but right now I have no other choice. Felix, Demetri, Jane, Alec and Chelsea will be on their best behavior_, I thought to Edward as we entered the thick foliage, heading west towards Port Angeles.

* * *

Renata and I were hiking through the forest on the way back when I blurted out, 'I feel terrible.'

She didn't pause. 'Why?'

'The Cullens… They've taken care of me and yet I've gone against everything they believe in and fed on humans.' My stomach sloshed then, reminding me of the three lives I had taken so selfishly.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke. 'They'll forgive you,' she said carefully. 'You know they will. They don't really have a choice.'

'I just… I want them to forgive me not because I'm part of the Guard but because they feel true forgiveness. I don't even know why I'm so concerned over their forgiveness, especially Edward's,' I murmured, lowering my voice at the end.

Renata heard it, of course. 'What was that you said, Isabella?'

'Nothing,' I said quickly, hoping she hadn't heard exactly. But evidently she had, since she pressed further.

'Did you say Edward's name?'

I groaned. _Renata. _'Yes,' I admitted reluctantly. 'I'm peculiarly concerned about his forgiveness in particular.'

'Why?'

'I don't know, Renata. I don't know.' My pace slowed as the forest thinned. 'Is it weird to feel the need to be around him?' I questioned. I trusted her, and I knew she would keep this conversation to herself. Chelsea and Jane on the other hand…

'What do you mean?' The curiosity in her voice was poorly veiled by faux nonchalance.

'When we were hunting earlier… I couldn't stop thinking about him…' my voice trailed off as an image of him appeared in my mind. His hair, his jaw, his eyes, his lips… How stunning he was. I had every inch of him memorized in my crystalline memory but I knew when I saw him again, soon, my mind would've done him absolutely no justice. 'Every time we passed something interesting I couldn't help but wonder what he would've done when he saw it… Oh, Renata, what is _wrong_ with me?'

'You like him!' she sang, her brisk pace turning into a skip. 'Isabella likes a _boy_!'

'He can hardly be called a boy,' I objected. 'He's over a hundred years old.'

'But you _like_ him,' Renata accused.

'Guilty as charged,' I joked, raising my hands in mock surrender. Taking in a breath, I continued: 'But seriously, Renata. It's really bad. I've only known him today and I already feel the need to be around him. When we were lining up for battle and I tripped, I grabbed onto his hand and I felt something. It wasn't like anything I've ever felt before. This is bad – very bad.'

She looked at me. 'Why do you say that?'

'Because he could never like me back!' I flailed my hands about hopelessly. I felt like a teenage girl, not the ninety-three year-old vampire that I was.

'What makes you think that?' Renata was nonplussed.

I shot her a disbelieving look. 'Renata, look at _me_ and then look at _him_. There's no way a god like that was meant for me.'

'You need to have more faith in yourself, Isabella,' Renata scolded. 'You are gorgeous, as is he. It is not always about looks.'

I sighed. 'Even if it wasn't I am an _idiot_. Who feels this way after knowing somebody for only a day? He'll think I'm deranged!'

'Talk to him, then,' Renata suggested. 'Get to know him more.'

I rolled my eyes. 'You are incredible, my friend. Do you not remember the fact that we are part of the Volturi Guard and we will have to return to Volterra eventually? What do I do then?'

'Jane called Aro while you were out and we have gotten permission to stay for the next two weeks, seeing as there are no major events happening at the castle. We'll only return before the fortnight is over if there is an emergency, though the chances are low. Take those two weeks, Isabella,' she urged.

'I'll think about it,' I promised, effectively drawing the conversation to an end now that we were in sight of the house and definitely within earshot.

Jasper and Felix were battling it out on the front porch, with Demetri cheering for Jasper and Emmett cheering for Felix. Jane, Chelsea and Alec stood by the side, bemused expressions on their face. Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Alice were nowhere to be seen, as was Edward. Strangely, I found myself missing him.

'Take that!' Felix cried as he slammed Jasper into the gravel. Barely a second later Jasper was up and had pounced on Felix, jumping on his back.

'Yield,' he almost snarled, his teeth at Felix's neck, their whiteness glinting in the sunlight.

Felix was clearly unwilling and it was a few moments before he whispered, 'I yield.' It was barely audible but Jasper heard it and he punched the air.

'I beat one of the Guard!' His joy was contagious – an empath thing.

'Hell yeah,' Emmett shouted, raising his fist for Jasper to bump. 'You did good, bro.'

'That was remarkable,' I commented. 'Felix, yielding? I thought I'd never live to see the day, even if I live to be as old as Marcus.'

'Shut up, Isabella,' said Felix sourly. 'I didn't want to get bitten, that's all.'

'Whatever you say, _brother_,' I replied, sitting down on the porch steps. Renata danced over next to me, leaning her head on my shoulder.

'He's coming out, I can feel it,' she whispered so lowly even I struggled to hear. Another facet of Renata's shield was to be able to feel where people around her were at all times. It was a self-defense mechanism that often came in handy.

'What do I do?' I whispered back urgently. 'Do I talk to him? Oh, God, Renata, I've never had experience with this kind of thing!'

'Calm down, Isabella,' she soothed. 'Let him make the first move. He is the guy in this relationship, after all.' Her tone was a bit too smug for my liking.

'Relationship?_ La relazione è inesistente_!' My voice came out in a hiss.

She rolled her eyes. 'You're being stubborn. Don't think Chelsea hasn't seen the bonds the two of you have.'

I gaped. _Bonds? _I felt like screaming.

'Shh,' she whispered. 'He's coming out now. You'll be fine, darling,' she said quickly, sending me a wink as she danced over to Felix.

I buried my head in my hands. Renata was a handful at times - that was for sure. I prayed fervently he wouldn't come and talk to me, as much as I wanted him too. I'd probably make a fool out of myself, especially when I look into his eyes. He… dazzles me. Yes, that's the word. And I don't need to give him any more cause to think I'm deranged.

_Don't come, don't come, _please _don't come! _My mind was begging now, but it had been too late.

'Bella?' a melodic voice came from behind, my new name rolling off their tongue easily.

'Edward.'

* * *

_Thank you guys for reading!_

_If you liked the chapter, tell me in a review. If you didn't like it, bitch about it to me in a review ; )_

_Next chapter will probably only go up late next week, seeing as I start school again on Monday after a week break. Don't hate me, lol. _

_But in return for the wait, I promise to give you lots of BxE interaction, though I haven't exactly figured out how. If you want to see them do/talk about something, tell me! I'm a total people-pleaser (unfortunately) and I will try to work it in, just for you._

_Clara_

_PS: "_La relazione è inesistente_" is supposed to mean 'the relationship is nonexistent.' It is most likely grammatically incorrect seeing as I used Google Translate for it. _


	5. Chapter 5: Tour?

_Hey guys!_

_I know, I know, it's been, like, what? A week since I updated? Ah, well. I did say in the last chapter the next update would be further away because I've just returned to school and I'm readjusting. For waiting, here is another long-ish chapter. More BxE, who I hope I've done justice, but I cannot be sure. I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review, as always!_

_I will keep this note relatively short - the last one was pretty heavy. I hope you guys enjoy this and I'll see you in the next chapter!_

_*cheesy grin*_

_Clara._

_Disclaimer: I do not own this playground, SM does. She has kindly allowed me to fool around on the slide, that's all. _

* * *

Chapter Five: Untitled

**_Forks, Washington, June 2006._**

'Hello, Edward,' I greeted him, trying to hide my smile. 'I was just going to leave,' I said, getting up from the tiny step that could barely fit Renata and me.

'Oh, no, stay,' he said. 'Please?' he added as an afterthought, giving me a crooked smile.

How could I say no? 'Sure, if that's what you want.' I took my seat next to him. The porch was barely more than a meter wide, and between the two of us, we were squished. My mind was troubled: it was so wonderful to be able to sit so close to him and inhale his scent with every breath I took but it kept me on edge. What if I overstepped some invisible line?

He grinned at me, leaning back. 'It is what I want. How are you feeling?' he asked politely.

'Ridiculously full. My stomach is sloshing. I don't think I've fed so greedily in a decade.' Suddenly I was hyperaware of the differences between us – I had just given God three more reasons to hand me to the Devil, a paltry number compared to my nearly century-long existence. He, on the other hand, had not killed humans in decades, I assumed. He was a saint, sitting next to me.

He had a peculiar expression on his face, but he didn't reply. I felt strangely embarrassed then. I had so casually mentioned the fact that I had killed… God, I'm an idiot.

I picked at the hem of my shirt. 'I'm sorry,' I said, ashamed. 'You must think so little of me. I ought to leave, now.' I stood up awkwardly.

He tugged at my hand gently, and once again I felt electricity. It was getting almost familiar, yet still so exhilarating. 'This is the second time you've tried to leave in less than three minutes. I'm almost offended.' He tugged harder, then, and I was forced to sit down next to him. 'I do not think any less of you, Bella. This is what you've been taught your entire existence.'

'It isn't,' I said sadly. 'I knew about your way of life a few years after I was turned. I told you earlier – I tried my hand at it but each time I'd end up killing more than usual.' I shook my head. 'I'm pathetic.' My gaze drifted down to the gravel floor, the pebbles becoming infinitesimally more interesting.

He raised a long-fingered hand to lift my chin, his touch light and delicate. 'You are not pathetic, Isabella,' he stated fiercely. 'You _tried_ and I think you deserve some credit for that, damn the consequences. You are far better than Aro – he would never give our vegetarianism a try. You are not on my level yet, as condescending and arrogant as that sounds, but you tried. I think that's what matters.'

I laughed. 'You are far too kind to me, Edward,' I said in a mock accusatory tone, and we settled into a comfortable silence.

'Renata's good,' Edward said as we watched her tackle Chelsea.

'Why do you sound so surprised?'

'I supposed the fact that she has a physical shield, her physical training would be…'

'Lacking?' I supplied.

'No – inferior, that's the word.'

I shrugged. 'Aro wants us all to be prepared for the worst. Renata can't always rely on her shield in the case that it fails her and leaves her completely defenseless. Aro wouldn't allow it; she is far too valuable to him.'

He was silent for a moment. 'How do you feel towards Aro?' he asked.

'I respect him but I do not necessarily like him. It's sort of a level in between tolerance and liking him. I am all for keeping the rules of the vampire world…' I trailed off, not quite sure how to continue.

'But you disagree with his tactics?'

'That's one way of looking at it,' I agreed. 'It's not just that, though. He can be incredibly selfish and greedy at times but he can be kind and generous at others, though rare.'

'Have you ever considered leaving?' he asked casually.

'Definitely. I don't agree with a lot of things he's done lately and I'm starting to see things a bit differently. Previously I could just feed on humans and feel nothing more than a hint of remorse but now… I feel like I am the most deplorable, the vilest creature ever created every time I feed. It's better when I hunt away from the usual methods, like Renata and I's trip down to Port Angeles. I don't have to see the sick grins Aro and Caius always have on their faces when they're done; I feel guilty for their kills when I see them. Of course, we aren't allowed to hunt on our own accord outside the castle to avoid attracting unwanted attention so the fact that in order to sustain myself, to keep myself alive, I have to go through such an ordeal… it's painful.'

He smiled crookedly at me – one of my favorite things in the world now. It was amazing how quickly I became attached to his smile, to him. But it was wrong, because it didn't reach his eyes. 'I don't think you're deplorable or vile,' he said softly. 'What would you do if you left?'

I thought about it for a while. What would I do? Frankly, I would've liked to stay with him, as sudden as it was. The idea of seeing him every day would be tantalizing, but doing so would mean having to change my diet. To replace the crimson liquid with the tainted blood of a savage beast... it was a foreign concept, and left a weird aftertaste on my tongue. But if it meant being able to see him daily… it would be worth it, I decided. Though I wasn't sure why I was thinking so far ahead; we had only met today. I was set on the idea that I was going crazy, till I remembered something Marcus had said.

_'You must understand, Isabella, that a vampire's emotions and thoughts are a lot fiercer and a lot more powerful and instinctive than a human's. Things that take humans months to get over may only be a few hours for us. The same with falling in love – some humans take years to realize, but vampires… we know when we see them. It's almost magnetic, the pull to be with your mate, and suddenly, you're thinking of the future and the future is so bright, so brilliant, and you can't imagine it being any other way. The progress in a human relationship in the duration of, let's say, two years, may be just a few days for vampires. It is not just our senses that are heightened, our emotions are, too.'_

_Mates… _I toyed with the idea in my brain for a while. Was that what we were? Was that the reason why I was thinking so far ahead, even without Edward knowing? I was immensely grateful for my shield – it would've been embarrassing if he had read my thoughts and found out how I felt about him, only to have him not like me that way.

I had seen mated vampires before – the chemistry between them so tangible it almost fizzled in the air between them. The love and the adoration they had for their other half in their eyes… it brought a silly smile onto my face. If there was one good thing about being a vampire besides the privilege of eternity, it would be a mate. I had always hoped to find mine, though I didn't expect it to be Edward.

'Isabella?' the said mate coaxed me gently out of my thoughts, smiling at me. 'You didn't answer my question. You don't have to,' he said hurriedly.

I laughed, and even I was surprised in the amount of happiness that radiated from that single sound. 'I thought I'd give your diet a go, again. The last time I tried, I was surrounded by vampires who remained on their regular diet, so that could've been a factor in my failure. I want to try it again and see if I can succeed, even if only for a decade. If I fail again then I know that I am completely incapable of it, regardless of my environment.'

'If you leave, you're always welcome here,' Edward said, and it seemed even he was surprised by the forwardness of his proposal. 'I mean, it's an option… you don't have to take it up.' He was nervous again, and rubbed the back of his neck.

'Your anxiousness is endearing,' I said bravely, grinning at him. I was rewarded with his signature crooked smile. 'I appreciate your offer, but I'm not even sure if I _can_ leave. You know Aro, anyone as valuable as I am would not be let go easily.'

'As valuable as you are? Are we getting a bit cocky there, Isabella?' he teased. 'Well, if you were let go, perhaps you'd like to closer view your options?'

I gazed at him, nonplussed. 'Pardon?'

'If you were let go and you were to come here… wouldn't you want to know what it's like?' he tried again.

'I suppose,' I decided.

'Let me take you on a tour, then,' he offered, smiling brilliantly at me.

'Oh, no. I wouldn't want to take up too much of your time.'

He sighed. 'If I didn't take you on the tour, both of us would just sit here. Either way, we'd both be taking up the other's time.'

'Fine,' I agreed, albeit reluctantly. 'No coffins?'

'No coffins,' he promised. 'Though I could run out and get one right now. Wouldn't want to disappoint you, would we?'

I chuckled. 'I'll be disappointed if there are coffins.'

'Come on, then.' He stood up and offered me his hand and I grasped it eagerly. The now familiar shock of electricity hit me and even with my vampire hearing, I wasn't sure if he had gasped too.

Graciously, he led me into the house, holding the door open like a true gentleman. The Cullen residence was all glass and thus it was easy to see the interior, but actually stepping inside of the house, instead of seeing it from outside, was astonishing. During my recovery, I had been in an empty, unused room on the second floor and had only seen the staircase and nothing more on my way down, too distracted by my thirst to take in my surroundings.

'This is the living room,' explained Edward as he gestured to the open room in front of me.

It was more of an open space than a room, without walls and bordered by floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides. The palette was neutral, with cream leather furniture and a snow white rug on the floor. The house had a somewhat quaint quality to it that came from its basic wooden structure, and contrasted greatly with the modernity of the design, especially the windows. However, the contrast was well-balanced on the precipice and almost harmonious. Whoever had designed it had clearly taken into careful consideration the maturity of the house and the current times.

The room featured a gigantic flat-screen positioned on the wall, five or so gaming consoles placed under it. A large stereo was placed next to it, and currently played Debussy, a personal favorite.

'Feux D'Artifice?' I questioned.

'One of my favorites,' Edward replied as my eyes drifted to the baby grand piano on the far right corner. 'Do you play?' he asked.

'Poorly,' I answered. 'In comparison to everybody at the castle, of course. They've had centuries of practice, and I, less than one.'

'Play for me,' he urged, giving me another brilliant smile. 'I'm sure you're not that bad, right?'

I gaped at him, dazed. How could somebody be so beautiful? I ingrained his smile into my memory, the way his lips pulled up and the way his eyes seemed to glimmer in the light. If I had only two weeks with him, as Renata said, I would make the best of it.

'Isabella?' he said softly, and I realized I had been staring at him.

'I-uh-okay, yeah,' I said, fumbling for coherency and I was rewarded with a beaming grin.

He took my hand and led me over to the piano and sat down next to me. 'Play,' he instructed.

I stared at the keys in front of me, the black and white blending into gray. 'What would you like to hear?' I asked, and then I realized how submissive I sounded – ugh. Way to make yourself look like you don't have a backbone, I thought.

'Surprise me,' he said wryly.

I debated. Chopin? Tchaikovsky? Liszt? My brain danced from one choice to another, before settling on a personal favorite, spurned from the music emitting from the stereo – Debussy's second Arabesque. The piece was livelier in tempo and quicker than the first Arabesque, and one of the pieces I played better.

My fingers began to move on their own accord, dancing over the keys. I'd admit that this was a difficult piece, and part of me wanted to show off to Edward, but mostly it was because it was one of my favorites and I could play it moderately well. I was also far too aware of the fact that he was next to me and truthfully, I was distracted. I fumbled over some notes but they were few and far between.

When the piece had finished, Edward clapped politely. 'Not bad,' he praised. 'You don't give yourself enough credit.'

I snorted in a rather unladylike manner and rolled my eyes. 'You lie,' I accused. 'Now it's your turn. Play me something.'

'How can I refuse?' he grinned at me. 'Hmm… Debussy, eh? You must know Clair de Lune, then?'

I grinned. 'Of course! Another one of my favorites – actually, anything by Debussy is a favorite. It's too hard for me to play, though,' I said sadly.

'I'll teach you,' he promised, as his hands began to drift over the keys. 'Truthfully, Clair de Lune is not so much about the skill – it is a fairly simple piece – it is more about getting the right expression into it. The skill for it requires coordination, but that's about it, really. The most difficult piece for me was _Feux d'Artifice_,' he admitted, hooking a thumb towards the stereo. 'Plenty of pedal and dynamics control, it was savage.'

'True,' I said easily. 'The beauty of Debussy is that he never tried to impress anybody – he was far too big in his own mind for that. He wasn't afraid of keeping the melodies simple, and allowing them to be heavily influenced by the mindset of the musician itself.' My mind floated back to when I had first become a vampire, and went half-crazy with the amount of time on my hands. Debussy had been my favorite as a human, and it carried on to my immortal life, and thus was the first composer I had focused on after somewhat mastering the piano.

'Exactly,' he agreed softly. We both stopped talking after that, relinquishing our attentions to the rich sounds coming from the baby grand.

The sound he managed to create was so luxuriant, so opulent; it was hard to believe it was just him playing it. I had heard countless versions of Clair de Lune before, but none could compare to this. Edward was a brilliant musician, not just in skill, but in the emotions he succeeded in evoking just by playing. The notes that drifted from the piano seemed to take on a life of their own, painting an image of the moon reflected on a lake's clear surface. I felt almost serene listening to him play, the kind of serenity that could not be forcefully found no matter how one tried.

When he finished, applause filled the room. The two of us turned around, confused, only to be met by the rest of the Guard and the Cullens.

Esme looked like she was about to explode from the joy she was feeling. 'Oh, Edward!' she gushed. 'How long has it been since you've played?'

Edward shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. 'Bella wanted me too, Mom.'

I think I heard her choke, and I raised a delicate eyebrow at Edward. He merely grinned cheekily in response.

'Play another,' she said, her eyes imploring. Carlisle laughed next to her. Alice looked like she was on the verge of exploding, while Alec smirked at me. What?

'I'll play yours, Mom,' Edward conceded, his fingers beginning their dance again. I think she choked again, and I watched a ghost of a smile appear on Edward's face.

_Is she okay? _I pushed into Edward's head. _I'm worried_.

He simply chuckled and continued playing, the melody intricate.

Sitting there on that piano bench, so close to him, was absolute heaven, especially when there was such beautiful music to accompany him. The tune that was Esme's was optimistic and filled with ecstasy. It was a light, joyful tune, the kind you played when you were just inexplicably happy. His hands flew across the bars easily, moving with an obvious familiarity. I didn't doubt that he could play it backwards, though impossible.

Once again the music faded with finality and he looked up at me with a hopeful smile. 'Did you like it?' he asked, his voice eager and soft in the applause of the room.

I beamed at him. 'I loved it,' I said truthfully. 'Did you write it yourself?'

'He wrote it for Esme and I,' Carlisle explained. 'It was an anniversary present. My wife, of course, was just about exploding with joy,' he laughed, glancing at her fondly. It wasn't hard to see the affection they had for each other.

'You're a wonderful pianist, Edward,' I praised shyly. 'I'd never be able to write something so beautiful.'

'It's not hard when you have inspiration,' he said humbly. 'I owe it all to my parents. Have you ever written anything yourself?'

_Inspiration? _I mused as I shook my head in response to his question. _Maybe if you'd give me some inspiration… _'No, I've never written anything before. I do so wish I possessed even an ounce of originality but really, I don't.'

'I could give you tips, if you want, though I doubt I'll be much help,' he sighed. 'Now that we've finished our _performance_, would you like to continue on the tour?' he didn't give me an option and instead stood up and reached his hand out for mine. I heard a squeal this time, fairly high-pitched so I reasoned it to be Alice's.

'Oh, do show her your room, Edward!' she chimed. 'If you love music half as much as he does, you'll _love_ his room,' she said almost suggestively.

I shuffled around awkwardly – my change had not affected these qualities in me. 'Um…'

Thankfully Edward saved me. 'We'll spend as little or as much time as you want wherever,' he assured. Alice snorted in response, while I think Emmett was trying to hold in a laugh. Rosalie and Jasper merely looked a mixture of smugness and amusement.

'Esme and I are going hunting,' Emmett said as he tugged on his jacket, bending to give Rosalie a kiss. 'We should to be back in a few hours; we aren't going far.'

'So are we,' Jane put in. 'Alec, Felix, Demetri, Chelsea and I want to observe this… _vegetarianism_.' Her words held a slight contempt, though it was obvious she was intrigued. 'Maybe we'll try it again,' she mused. The others looked bored – a look we had all perfected as part of the Guard.

I rolled my eyes internally. Jane always had trouble keeping to her promises.

'Renata has offered to let me study her shield, and Jasper will be helping me, so we'll probably go down to the forest clearing where there's more room and thus less destruction,' Carlisle declared, and Esme shot him a grateful smile. She must've been the one who designed the house.

'Alice and I are going to try on our shopping in the wardrobe, they've just arrived,' Rosalie barely managed to rush out before Alice grabbed her arm and flew up the stairs, pulling Rosalie behind.

'Are you done telling us your plans now?' Edward demanded impatiently. 'I'm sure Bella wants to see the house.' My heart swooned – _there he goes with _Bella _again._

Esme tinkled a laugh. 'My dear son,' she sighed. 'We'll leave you and Isabella now. Have fun!' She smiled widely at me before dancing out the door, her caramel curls bouncing as the Guard and Emmett followed. Carlisle, Renata and Jasper went after, each looking eager.

'Your mother is… interesting,' I observed as we watched their silhouettes disappear into the twilight.

'She's amazing and I love her so.' He paused. 'I just wish she wasn't so… overbearing, I think that's the word.'

'I understand what you mean,' I said quietly. 'At least you've been blessed with a second set of parents, though. It must be nice to have a family.'

His answering smile was hesitant. 'It's yours too if you want it.'

I felt wistful as I replied. 'If only I could escape Aro…'

'We'll leave that discussion to another day, shall we? I do remember promising you a tour of the house.'

'Of course,' I agreed. 'Where first?'

He took my hand again, and led me to the kitchen. It was modern, like the rest of the house, yet maintained its older qualities. Stainless steel and marble countertops accounted for most of the space in here. There was an impressive looking fridge standing in the corner of the room, a few photographs tacked to it.

'Keeps up the façade,' Edward explained.

I trailed my fingers over the metal. 'You have humans over here?' I sniffed delicately then, looking for any trace of a human scent.

'Not if we can help it,' he promised stiffly. 'Jasper is recently new to our diet, and we don't want to risk human visitors getting a paper cut and bleeding openly. The temptation would be far too great.'

'Who was the last visitor you had?' I asked casually. 'Don't most girls at school stay away from you five?'

'There _is _this one girl, who's particularly enamored with Emmett. Rosalie is furious, of course, but it's intriguing how she can willingly come so close. Does she not have any survival instincts at all? That is a question we all have asked. She came over this one time, and it honestly took Rose everything in her to keep her hands from the girl's jugular.' He laughed loudly then, the sound free and open.

'Queer,' I agreed. 'How long ago was that? I cannot detect any human scent.'

'Almost six months,' Edward replied. 'She moved away to Phoenix, Arizona. Asked Emmett to visit her, too.'

'Sunny,' I remarked. 'I have this feeling that she may not want him anymore after seeing him sparkle in the light.' I could barely hold back my laughter.

'But of course! What do you say to your parents when they see your boyfriend sparkling? "Mom, I forgot to tell you, but he's secretly a My Little Pony!"' he choked out. I bent over laughing, picturing it.

'Ha, ha, ha!' I rubbed my sides, though I didn't need too. 'That would've been interesting.'

'Definitely,' he agreed. 'Shall we move on?' He turned to the wooden-slated staircase, bounding gracefully up the steps as I watched in amazement.

'How many floors are there?' I enquired.

'We have two floors and something that resembles an attic – that's my room. Rosalie also managed to convince Esme into building a garage for all our cars. We like to drive fast,' he said as way of explanation.

'What cars do you own?' I fingered a large wooden cross on the wall, the polish smooth to touch.

'I have a Volvo and a Vanquish, Rose owns a M3, Emmett a Jeep, Carlisle a Mercedes, and Jasper a Ducati. Esme's just ordered in a Range Rover to help her with some of her latest restoration projects, while Alice has been pestering me for a Porsche.'

'The Vanquish is absolutely lovely. I have one back in Italy and it drives like a dream. I've got an Audi, but that's more for day-to-day errands. I'd like a Bugatti Veyron, though, just to take it out on the Autobahn, but I'm near broke and I don't want to ask the Volturi for anymore money.'

He laughed. 'Like _that _would make even a scratch on their bottom line.'

'I suppose you have a point. I'll ask when I return,' I decided.

'If you do get one, I'd love to hear about it. Rose would be insanely jealous,' Edward declared.

I opened my mouth to reply but I was cut off by a shrill cry of my name. Alice, again.

She bounded up next to us, and her grin widened infinitesimally at our linked hands. 'Bella!' she cheered. 'I'm sorry, Edward, but I'm going to have to steal her from you.'

His face began to harden into a glare, but softened when he must've read her thoughts. 'I like where this is going, so I don't mind.'

'Great! Come with me, the two of you,' Alice instructed as she tugged on our hands. For a person of such a small size, her strength was impressive.

I turned to look at Edward worriedly and he merely chuckled. 'Don't worry, it won't be too bad.'

I arched an eyebrow.

'I _think_.'

* * *

_Man, do I hope you guys enjoyed that. I had so much fun writing it!_

_Leave Bella some support in a review - God knows what Alice has up her sleeve : O_

_See you all in the next chapter._

_Clara_


	6. makeover?

_Hey guys!_

_NEW CHAPTER. Cue excited screaming, jumping, exploding, etc. Lots of BxE in this chapter, and I'm sure you'll all love the second half of this. I had so much fun writing it - the only problem was that the pockets of time I managed to wrangle from my busy schedule were tiny and thus it took me AGES to write this. I endeavor to update at least once every seven days and I know I warned I wouldn't update within the week because of exams but I reread Eclipse and inspiration hit - hard. And you guys get to enjoy the fruits of my labor! Rejoice!_

_Okay, maybe not. _

_Anyways, I'm about 99.9% sure that you guys will like it, because I love it. I'm technically supposed to be sleeping now - I have to be up at five tomorrow. *groans* But nope, I sped-wrote and edited and voila! Chapter six was finished. _

_Unfortunately, this was proof-read only once, but I am ridiculously obsessive about the grammar and spelling mistakes pointed out to me in Word and look over every one. So if there's a mistake... sue Microsoft (don't)._

_Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: This theme park belongs to Stephenie Meyer, I have merely been allowed to play around._

* * *

**chapter six**

I had never felt so embarrassed in my life.

Alice and Rosalie were currently stripping me completely naked eagerly. If Rosalie wasn't there, I wouldn't be surprised if Alice ripped all my clothes off, shredding them into strips. I could feel their eyes on me and though I knew they weren't being critical, I felt self-conscious.

As Rosalie unclipped my bra, I immediately raised my hand to cover my breasts. Thankfully, Edward was waiting out in the hall. I was immensely grateful for the fact that I could not blush – something I would've undoubtedly done as a human.

Alice swatted her hand away as she stripped away the last of my clothes, leaving me in my panties. 'Stop trying to cover yourself up, Bella.' Oh, no, not her with the _Bella _thing, too.

'I... um, sorry,' I mumbled, dropping my hands and leaving them awkwardly hanging at my sides.

'Stop being so bashful, Isabella,' Rosalie chided playfully. 'You look great, really. I'd kill to have your body.'

It took everything in me not to let my jaw drop. Rosalie – _Rosalie_ – the supermodel version of a vampire wanted to have my body. This was almost a goddess we were talking about here – pale blonde hair and even paler skin, high cheekbones and luminous eyes. I had seen many vampires in my century of existence, but nobody compared to her, really. 'But Rosalie, you're –,' I protested, only to be cut off.

'Beautiful? Yes. But you are so much more, Isabella. Don't you see that?' she asked, with a hint of sadness in her tone.

Truthfully, I never considered myself as beautiful, even as a vampire. My hair was brown and wavy, and often untamable, despite my genetics. I always thought my smile to be too wide and my nose too small. My eyes were nothing spectacular as a human and only slightly more so now, with my dulled ruby irises. My facial structure was nothing to run screaming about either – average cheekbones, average jaw. If I looked like this as a vampire, I was mildly disgusted to remember what I was like as a human.

'Rosalie… you don't have to lie to make me feel better,' I whispered, my voice barely there. 'It's O.K., really. I'm used to it.'

Then she did the unexpected: she grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard, Alice watching in amusement, a new set of clothing in her hands. 'Oh, _please_, Bella. You're stunning – I don't even know why I have to tell you this. Can't you see? It's not hard to see why my brother is so infatuated with you.' She smiled wickedly. 'And please, call me Rose.'

I smiled shyly at her, my insecurities gone but not forgotten. 'Sure, Rose,' I said eagerly.

**[Edward]**

I paced the length of the hallway, impatiently waiting for Bella's 'makeover' to be done. Alice had promised me an hour, and despite the length of my existence and the waiting I had done, I was impatient. An hour seemed like a millennia, now. If it hadn't been for the final product I had seen in her vision, I would've probably grabbed Bella and jumped out from the window and never come back.

Though I didn't appreciate the long wait, it gave me time to think about Bella and me. Bella and me – how lovely it sounded. If we were truly mates, like Alec had said, then it would explain the pull. Pull was an understatement, really – the need to be with her was almost an instinct. Everything I did now I thought of her, her face occupying my thoughts the way I wished to occupy hers. It was almost like a fog: slow and lazy, but sure. Every time we touched, even if it was just from holding hands, the spark, the magnetism… it was becoming almost predictable, yet I longed for the feeling. I wanted to feel this way for the rest of my existence, if she'd let me.

Briefly, I allowed myself to wonder what it would've been like to have met her as a human. She'd still have the same dark mahogany hair and maybe her body might not be as shapely, but she would still be the most beautiful woman I had seen and would ever see. What would her eye color be? Gray? Green, like mine? Or brown? What would her favorite food be? What would her favorite place to sleep be? I successfully distracted myself with all these hypothetical questions for nearly an hour when I heard a voice from behind the door.

Alice. 'Stop trying to cover yourself up, Bella.' Another of my family had picked up on my nickname for her – great. While I wanted to be the only one who called her Bella, I could admit that her name, three syllables long, was a mouthful.

'I… um,' Bella murmured, and I imagined the blush that would've flooded her cheeks if she had been human. 'Sorry.' Her voice was sweet and smooth.

Rosalie spoke then. 'Stop being so bashful, Isabella. You look great, really. I'd kill to have your body.' Her tone was playful, but I detected some jealousy. Quickly sifting through her thoughts – and skipping over the ones of Bella topless out of politeness – I found I was right. Rosalie was used to being the beautiful one, the one that made everybody's heads turn when she walked by.

'But Rosalie,' Bella disagreed. 'You're –.' She didn't finish speaking, for Rose had interrupted.

'Beautiful? Yes. But you are so much more, Isabella. Don't you see that?' The longing swirling under the surface was unmistakable. Rosalie was beautiful, too, but I agreed with her – Isabella had surpassed beautiful. I'd like to say I wasn't biased but really, I was.

It was quiet in the room, only the sounds of cloth rustling – Alice, it must've been – could be heard. Bella spoke, then. 'Rosalie,' she began, pausing. 'You don't have to lie to make me feel better.' Her voice dropped to barely a murmur. 'It's O.K., really. I'm used to it.' She was used to it? Used to what, being beautiful? No, that could not be – the insecurity in her voice was explicit. But why should she be insecure? She was beautiful, alluring, elegant, exquisite – bewitching. If I had not known better, I would've thought her to be a goddess, the way her lips curved and the way her blunt irises gleamed when she laughed… I could've gone on forever.

What she did next was not Rosalie-like, at all. She grabbed Bella's shoulders and jolted her roughly. Alice's thoughts were amused. _Oh, they're getting along so well now! I knew everything would work out. She would be such a great addition to our family… oh, you're listening, aren't you, Edward? I know you didn't ask for it, but I approve. I approve very, very much. I'll approve of her even more if she lets me put these clothes on her without a protest like I saw earlier... no, nothing has changed. She'll still be stubborn, but she'll acquiesce in the end. Good. _Her mental voice took on a smug tone at the end.

A chuckle escaped my lips at her comment. I didn't ask for it, but I appreciated it.

'Oh, _please_, Bella.' I could almost see Rose rolling her eyes. 'You're stunning – I don't even know why I have to tell you this. Can't you see?' she implored. 'It's not hard to see why my brother is so infatuated with you.' Briefly, I dived into her thoughts to take a quick peek.

_She's absolutely beautiful – Edward's almost obsession is understandable now. But I do still feel uncomfortable around her; she is part of the Guard, after all. She's such a sweet person though, I'd like to be friends, but I think it would take a while for us to become close. I need to know if she's any threat to our family, in any way… Edward, stop listening, damn it!_

I chuckled again. My two sisters were on two opposites of the spectrum, but they were both dear to me – though Alice more so – and I loved them. Rosalie's somewhat acceptance lifted a weight off my shoulders I didn't even know was there.

'And please, call me Rose,' she informed her.

I gaped alone in the hallway – it usually took at least a week for Rosalie to ask somebody to call her Rose.

'Sure, Rose,' Bella agreed easily. 'And… thank you.'

I watched through Alice's eyes as Rose waved noncommittally. 'It's nothing,' she brushed off. 'Now, let's make you into the goddess you ought to be.'

A grin planted itself on my face as I slid down the wall, coming to sit on the plush white carpet below. I couldn't wait for this to be over.

**[Isabella]**

'Ta-da!' Alice and Rose cheered in unison, spinning me around to face a large body-length gilded mirror, the fabric of the dress ruffling as I twirled.

I peered at the mirror suspiciously. Surely, I thought, the woman staring back at me couldn't be me. She was flawless in every single possible way. Her hair, curled into gentle waves, cascaded down her back, a stray lock framing the side of her face. Her skin was a snowy alabaster, free of blemish. The harder line of her jaw was softened by the curvature of her full lips that were now stained blood red. Her eyes were a bright maroon and they looked eagerly back at me, drinking in every inch. At the base of her long neck, a long chain hung a single diamante heart at the end. She wore a cerulean blue spaghetti-strap dress that cinched at the waist before flaring out at the bottom into a full skirt. On her feet was a pair of white heels, balanced on a thin support.

'That's… _me_?' I didn't bother concealing the surprise in my voice. 'But I'm… I'm so beautiful.'

Rose smirked from the side. 'I told you so.'

'I'm glad you like it, Bella! It was so fun to dress you up,' Alice gushed from the other side, leaping towards me for a hug.

I deftly stepped out of the way. 'It's going to be the last time you ever dress me up, Alice,' I warned but my voice lacked conviction. 'Don't you think it's too much, though?' I turned to look at my side profile and I had to admit, I looked decent, almost good. 'We're not leaving the house.'

'Edward will love it,' Alice promised me. I looked down at my feet, thankful for the thousandth time that I could not blush. 'And hush, Bella. It won't be the last, I've _seen _it!'

I groaned weakly in protest. 'But _Alice_,' I whined.

Rosalie laughed. 'You know, Isabella, I have to thank you. You're saving me from Alice.'

I sighed sadly. 'Only for the next two weeks.'

'Or so you think,' Alice challenged. I arched an eyebrow at her, before turning back to Rose.

'Rose, you asked me to call you Rose and I have, so please call me Bella,' I pleaded.

'But only Edward calls you that…' she trailed off, uncertain.

'And me!' Alice couldn't resist interrupting.

Internally I rolled my eyes at the pixie. 'That was what my parents used to call me,' I said quietly, surprised that I had disclosed that information. 'It's an old nickname, Rosalie,' I quickly covered then. 'Edward just… resurrected it.'

She didn't speak for a second. 'O.K….' Her voice was hesitant. 'O.K., _Bella_.'

I grinned at her. 'Thank you, _Rose_.'

Alice rolled her eyes. 'I'm glad you guys are becoming friends and all, but we've got to show Edward! That was the entire point of this, Rosalie.'

I gawked. 'Um, I don't think so?' I protested, though it came out as a question. 'No, Alice.'

She rolled her eyes again. 'Bella, I know you'll give in in the end. Trust me on this.' She winked mischievously before unceremoniously dragging me to the door.

Rose opened the door with faux grandeur, sweeping her hand out in welcome. 'And I present the ever-lovely Isabella and her lady-in-waiting, Alice Cullen.'

Alice danced through with a litheness I longed to have, almost like a ballerina. 'You'll _love _it, Edward!' her voice was an octave higher in happiness.

The three of them turned expectantly towards me and I took a small step forward. Me, being Isabella, had to trip over my own feet. My own feet, can you believe it? Honestly. Why did I have to be the single vampire among our kind who was not graceful, at all?

Edward, of course, rushed forward to graciously catch me before I hit the floor. I had fallen forward, my arms flailing. His arms grasped me roughly, but softened the moment I was secure. I raised my eyes to meet his and thank him, but my breath hitched in my throat.

My God, he was beautiful. I had to admit, I thought of him while I was being beautified by Rose and Alice, wondering if Alice was right and he really would love the outcome. I thought of his reaction, the way his lips might turn up in a grin or twist into a disapproving frown. Either reaction, his face in my memory was breath-taking, unnaturally beautiful, even for our kind. And seeing him again after being away from him for the short duration of my make over… I knew my mind had done him no justice.

'Bella?' he asked carefully, his sweet breath fanning across my face. Another plus of vampirism: no bad breath, ever. Venom destroyed any bacteria. 'Are you all right?' His voice took on a more British cadence, accompanied by a tender smile.

I sucked in a deep breath in hopes of regaining my equilibrium, but I was promptly thrown off by another aspect of him _– again. _He smelled exquisite, a mix of lilac and something sweeter – honey, maybe – and of course, of Edward. There was an element to it that I could not identify for the life of me, though it was distinctly masculine.

'I'm fine,' I replied, attempting to stand up. Placing his hands on my waist, he righted me, and I tried again to restore my balance, ignoring the way his hands felt on me. I took a few shaky steps. 'It happens all the time,' I reassured weakly, though I knew my tone wasn't convincing. 'Alice and her damn heels…' I muttered. 'It's her fault if I break a leg.'

Rose and Alice both tinkled a laugh. 'But you look spectacular, Bella. Don't you agree, Edward?' Alice batted her eyelashes at him and I rolled my eyes – again, we were back at the whole _Bella-Don't-Protest-Edward-Will-LOVE-It _thing.

He stared at me fervently, his eyes alight. 'Agree is an understatement.' His velvet voice was barely a murmur. 'You look… Amazing, Bella.'

My eyes found their way to the floor again. 'Thank you, Edward.' I wasn't good at receiving compliments seeing as I never got many, and when I did, I was instantly uncomfortable.

The silence that descended then was momentously awkward – my hands fidgeted at my sides. I wish I could've said something more to him, but just looking at him would've thoroughly scattered my wits across the laminated parquet flooring.

'Rose!' Alice cried abruptly. 'I haven't tried those shoes on you yet! I need to know if they look good.' She grabbed Rosalie's arm in a grip so forceful I almost winced from where I was standing, and the two of them flew back into the room.

I gaped at them in shock. Was Alice always like that?

Edward chuckled beside me. 'Their way of giving us privacy – Alice's way, rather,' he mused.

Immediately I was brought back to reality. 'Not so subtle, are they?'

'It has never been her strong suit,' he agreed. 'Before we were so rudely interrupted by my two sisters, we were on our way to the attic. Would you like to continue?' he asked politely. I couldn't help but fawn over his reference to them as 'sisters' – it was endearing.

'Of course,' I said, taking his offered arm. 'The attic is your room, yes?'

We started our ascent up a small set of stairs. 'I suppose you could call it the attic,' he said. 'Though the word "attic" connotes a dark, musty room… my room is none of that. Esme wouldn't allow it.' He paused to chuckle again, briefly. 'It's remarkably open and light – the one place I don't have to hide. Originally it was meant as an space for all of us, with an area partitioned off for my room. But I played music so often and worked on my compositions there that it annoyed both Alice and Jasper, who used to spend time there working on designs and reading, and they abandoned it completely. So the attic is fully mine now, and the two of them converted one of our three guest rooms into a workspace of sorts.'

We stopped in front of a translucent glass door, our faces vaguely reflected on the screen. I noticed his height, first of all – he was probably a good seven, eight inches taller than me. Even in the faintness of our reflections he was beautiful – the hard chiseled line of his jaw was still prominent.

'You ready?' He gestured to the door.

'You speak of this room as if there are coffins inside,' I mocked and he smiled crookedly, opening the door.

He was right – this was not an attic, not in any way at all. It was open and light, like he had described, the brightness coming from the roof – not a roof either, more a glass ceiling. There was a sofa in the far corner of a room: black leather, plainly designer and clearly expensive.

'No bed?' I quizzed, arching an eyebrow.

'No bed,' he confirmed.

I continued my inspection. There was no partition like he had previously mentioned, and two of the four walls were covered in shelves, most of which were books, CDs and records. The sofa leaned against the third, while the fourth was two floor-to-ceiling windows, facing the forest. The room was done again in a neutral palette like the rest of the house – creams and ivories, but with more accents of black and gold. The spines of the books, the plastic covers of the CDs and the paper sleeves of the records added a splash of color to the room.

I drifted to the first shelf, tracing my fingers over the first rung, filled from end to end with books. Mostly first editions, I guessed, from the worn, old spines and the gilded lettering on the hardcovers.

I stopped half-way through. 'You have Romeo and Juliet?'

He grinned mischievously, though his face held a tinge of embarrassment. 'I like Shakespeare,' he dismissed.

'But Romeo? Really, Edward.'

'Their love is catastrophic and what can I say? I love tragedies.'

'Sadist,' I remarked, continuing my perusal. 'It's so clichéd, though. He falls in love so quickly it simply cannot be real. And she's such a fool. Both of them are, actually. Their foolishness is the reason for their demise.'

'I have to agree with you on that,' he replied. 'But I like how tragic it is. They died for each other; don't you think that's beautiful?'

I rolled my eyes. 'Sure.'

'And what's this about love at first sight?' he questioned.

'I don't believe in it,' I answered.

'Why not?' he countered.

I looked up to answer, but I hadn't realized that he was so close to me, which was weird – I was so attuned to him already. It caught me by surprise, my breath hitching.

I don't know how long I stared at him, once again printing his face into my memory, but it must've been quite a while. 'You didn't answer my question, Miss.' His tone was light and teasing, but he looked otherwise.

'Swan,' I said suddenly.

'Huh?' He quickly checked our surroundings, clearly baffled, as if me saying the word would've caused the bird to appear out of thin air.

'It's Miss Swan. That was my last name as a human,' I explained. 'I can't believe I just remembered it.'

He looked at me oddly. 'I see, Miss Swan. You still didn't answer my question,' he repeated.

I sighed, resigned. 'I just… I think that love is very permanent, you know? You let someone into your heart and you can't get them out, even if they try to leave. For something so enduring, ought it not to be gradual? I think it suspicious, that's all.'

'What if they had it building in them all along?' he pressed. 'What if that first meeting just… sealed the deal?'

'You are _so _odd, Edward,' I said, turning back to browse the shelves, ignoring the weird feeling his words had ignited in me. Did he feel the way I did, then?

He had ambled over to the shelf of records by the time I finished going through the first shelf.

'Do you have any favorite artists?' he enquired.

'Debussy,' I said, 'but you already know that.' I smiled cheekily at him, and was rewarded with a dazzling one in return.

'Hmm,' he hummed. 'There are so many musicians I'd love to introduce to you, Bella,' he said and I was hypnotized by the sound.

'Anything,' I breathed.

'Take a seat,' he instructed. 'This could take a while.'

Euphoric, I floated to the couch, sitting at the end. I watched him move – his fingers and eyes searching the shelves for that one elusive, perfect record, before shifting to the stereo, slipping in the CD and pressing play. He was seated next to me in seconds.

'I hope you like it,' he murmured, leaning back. There was about five inches of space between us – a distance that both relaxed and ignited me at the same time, a delectable contrast.

'I'm sure I will,' I assured, as the first strains emerged from the speakers. Technology had evolved marvelously over the years – the quality of the sound was almost equal to that of a concert hall. Tentatively, I placed my hand on his knee.

He smiled faintly back at me, moving his large hand to cover mine. We were the same temperature, but his hand was warm somehow. I liked it. 'It's one of my favorites,' he said.

'Apart from the Romeo and Juliet _faux pas_, your taste in books isn't too bad, so I'm hoping it carries onto your music library,' I said and he grinned.

The artist he had chosen was indie – I believed that's what they called it. Very eclectic, but enjoyable all the same. The vocalist had an interesting voice – raspy yet smooth when reaching for the high notes. The tracks were heavy on percussion, each featuring a strong, consistent beat. When the disc finished, he offered me the choice to pick the next one.

I moved over to the shelf, selecting the first that came in sight, slipping it into the stereo and dashing back.

Settling in next to him, he reached for my hand again – tentative, like I had been – and I gladly allowed him to take it. The twang of an electric guitar sounded from the speakers, as Freddie began his verse.

'Queen?' he said. 'Really, Isabella.'

'I like Freddie,' I replied innocently.

He sighed. 'He _does _have one of the greatest ranges of all time,' he allowed, as if it was not a remarkable talent. I sniffed haughtily in response and he chortled quietly.

We devoured three more albums, alternating turns to pick with the other making comments on the artists and tracks. I felt happy, almost peaceful. It was nice to sit with somebody and just talk about and do absolutely nothing. Not to mention that his hand held mine the entire time, almost as if the both of us were hesitant to go any further. Hell – he could've kissed me and I wouldn't have complained. I found him interesting to say the least – and his looks had nothing to do with that, I swear. He was insightful, offering even the strangest opinions shamelessly. It was also plainly obvious that he loved music – the way he closed his eyes whenever the album started, the way his body stayed relaxed… Amazing.

The last album had ended for a while now; the two of us sat in silence, perfectly content. Only when we heard the return of the others did we speak.

'I suppose we should return downstairs,' Edward said reluctantly, standing, all the while keeping our hands linked.

'I suppose, too,' I said, standing up.

We made our way down the two flights of stairs – everybody had somehow returned at the same time, and was seated in the living room on the first floor, talking. The sounds of their conversation percolated up the stairs, and we caught fibers of it.

'Absolutely revolting! I don't see how you manage.' The voice dripped with contempt – Jane. They must've brought up their hunting trip, then.

We had just reached the top of the last flight of stairs when I stopped. I didn't want to share the other yet. How close we had gotten in the past few hours scared me and excited me at the same time – I loved being so close to him, spending so much time with him, but the more we were together, the harder it would be for me to leave. His gaze on me was fevered, focused.

'I know, Bella,' he murmured, as if he could read my thoughts.

I whimpered in response – something that I didn't expect.

Then, he did something that was even more unexpected – he pressed his lips to mine. His lips were soft but icy, though they preceded a reaction that was exactly the opposite - my body felt like it was on fire, just from the gentle brushing of his lips against mine.

And right then, as his lips touched mine, the sound of glass shattering pierced the air.

* * *

_Oh, snap. Why did the glass shatter?! OOOOOOH._

_Lol, I think something is wrong with me. Sleep deprivation can make you crazy, folks. 0/10 would not recommend._

_As always, if you liked it, tell me in a review! If you didn't, tell me in a review, too! : )))_

_I won't say when my next update is going to be - I always manage to curse myself and update earlier than I say I will, but who's complaining, hey? But I promise one before October 12th. Promise._

_Clara_


	7. Chapter 7: Together

_Hey, y'all!_

_Here's the new chapter. Sorry it took me over a week to update, but I'm really liking this one and I hope you guys do too. : )_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight franchise or its characters, unfortunately (how nice would it be to have my own personal Edward? Mmm). I only own a large Cookie Monster soft toy that is now sitting rather happily on my bed._

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN

Edward and I both froze, though he was the first to break away. He closed his eyes briefly, his face tightening in concentration. 'Everything's fine,' he assured me, reaching for my hand again. I was puzzled – what was that, then?

We continued down the last flight of stairs, finally appearing in the view of everyone. The Cullens and the rest of the Guard were comfortably settled in the small cluster of couches and armchairs, looking fairly amused.

'What's going on?' I asked, wary. Their eyes drifted to our intertwined hands and I reflexively loosened my grip, while Edward's tightened. He, too, looked amused. 'Will somebody tell me what's going on?' I demanded, my patience running out in a matter of a few seconds.

Granite slammed into me, hard and cold and _short_. Alice.

'Oh, Bella!' she cried. 'You and Edward! Oh, I saw it all! _Oh_!' Her eyes widened infinitesimally, a revelation.

Jasper was at her side in an instant, and the others sat up now, piqued. 'What is it, Ali?'

'Aro…' she whispered. My grip on Edward's hand tightened, as did his, almost painfully. 'He's decided to ask the Guard to return early; there's a building situation at the castle.'

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jane, Felix, Demetri and Alec stiffen. They took their position as Elite Guard seriously, and they all cared for Aro, no matter his tyranny. 'Will everybody have to return?' Esme asked softly, pushing a lock of her caramel hair out of her face.

Alice shook her head once. 'Aro's still deciding, but Caius is suggesting everybody except Felix and Chelsea to return. Marcus will fight for Bella to stay, though,' she added.

'Even if he decides on all of our returns, we still have at least a good day or so before we'll have to leave, and that's without bargaining,' Renata reasoned. 'I'm sure Little Jane can pull some strings for us.'

Jane bared her teeth. 'I am not little!'

'Of course,' Renata allowed graciously.

'Either way, we ought to make the most of what time we have left,' Carlisle decided and we all nodded in agreement.

For the first time since the revelation, I looked at Edward. His beautiful features were twisted with worry, his eyebrows knit together. His eyes were on me, his gaze unwavering and fierce.

'Relax,' I whispered, just low enough for him to hear. 'We'll work this out.'

He studied me intensely for a moment, before nodding just once and exhaling. 'I know.'

'You guys are _so _cute together!' Alice squealed, her vision temporarily forgotten. I groaned inwardly, begging to whatever god out there that she would drop it. How she managed to sway from one subject to another so quickly was… baffling.

'Alice,' Edward cautioned, and I sensed that it was more for my benefit than his. After all, he ought to be used to his overbearing sister by now.

'Oh, shut up, Edward. I've waited more than half a century for this day, let me enjoy it!' she trilled, clapping her hands together excitedly.

'Will somebody _please _explain what's going on?' Alec demanded, exasperated. I couldn't resist chuckling at his eager and impatient expression.

'They _kissed_!' she shrieked. She reminded me of a ball of fire in those tacky superhero movies, bouncing off the walls faster than my eyes could track.

Esme's beamed in delight. 'Oh, Edward!' she cooed.

'Bella got some!' Emmett fist bumped the air, triumphant. Felix and Demetri raised their hands for high fives, which he gladly gave.

Jane, Renata and Chelsea all smiled, albeit smugly. 'I told you so,' Renata mouthed.

'I hope you can handle his mood swings, Bella, he can be quite the menopausal lady sometimes,' Rosalie laughed and Edward growled in response.

I raised a hand and placed it on his cheek. 'Calm,' I said. 'She's joking.' His expression softened marginally when he looked at me, but stayed mostly stiff. She must've said something in her head then.

'Amazing,' Jasper breathed. We all turned to look at him, bewildered.

'Hmm,' Edward hummed and I know Jasper must've explained to him in his thoughts.

'Stop doing that,' I complained, folding my arms across my chest. 'It's not nice.'

Jasper chuckled once. 'When Rose sort of insulted him, the anger that built up in him was instant, like a gunshot. But the moment you touched him, it vanished and was replaced by annoyance. I've never seen something like it before, ever.'

'That's… nice?' I tried hesitantly.

'It's more than nice,' Edward said, leaning down to kiss me again.

I shoved him back, a little too hard. 'Edward,' I said.

'What?'

'Not _here_.' I tried to sound stern, but failed miserably.

He laughed and kissed me soundly. 'I don't think anybody minds.'

There was a slight breeze as I pulled away, barely noticeable among the fawning females. The door shut quietly and I knew immediately who had left. _Alec_. I sighed. Alec was a dear friend, why would he react like this? Ought he to be happy for me? Unless… I paled at the thought. No, Alec and I weren't like that. No.

'Excuse me,' I said, turning to the room. Edward looked at me, questioning. I shook my head twice, and flew out of the room.

I ran out of the house, heading straight to the forest. Alec's scent was still present, having just left a few moments ago. It went south, down to the creek. As I got closer, his scent became more potent and the sound of the running water became louder. I could hear everything – the liquid flowing over the rocks, the flitter of an insect's wings, the beating hearts of some elk…

He was on the top of a fir tree, balanced precariously on its branches. He didn't look upset, just thoughtful.

'Alec?' I called, my voice hesitant. 'You're alright?'

'I'm fine, Isabella,' he said gently, and I knew then that he wasn't upset at me.

Using a rock as leverage, I leapt, clutching the trunk of a tree and scurrying up. It was a few feet away from him: far enough to give him privacy but just close enough. 'Do you want to talk about it?'

He exhaled once, his breath clouding in the air. 'It was just seeing you and Edward…'

'Oh, no, Alec!' I panicked. 'I never thought of you that way, Alec, I'm so sorry if you thought I did,' I blubbered hopelessly. I didn't know what to say.

He looked at me, then, and laughed mirthlessly. 'I knew we weren't ever like that,' he said. 'How in the world did you come to that conclusion?'

'I don't know!' I moaned. 'I was getting desperate. What is it, then?'

'Seeing the two of you together… it made me realize that I could lose you, Bella. You're a very dear friend to me, I hope you know that,' he said, stressing _friend_ and the stupidity I felt for making that assumption quadrupled. 'You're truly the only friend I have at the castle.'

'What about Jane, she's your sister? And Felix and Demetri?'

He sighed. 'Jane is… She's family, but she's not a friend. I know I can trust her and talk to her but it doesn't feel the same. Felix and Demetri are a lot rougher around the edges and they don't understand me like you do, Bella. It doesn't feel the same,' he repeated. 'You're like a younger sister to me, one far cleverer and wittier than I could've imagined.'

'I'm sorry, Alec,' I said quietly.

'You have nothing to be sorry for, Bella.' His tone was gentle. 'Everybody's mated now, except me. It's the loneliness I fear. I appreciate solitude, but loneliness I cannot. It just emphasizes the gap there is in my existence, multiplying it a hundred times almost.'

'You'll find someone,' I promised. 'And when she comes along, she'll be worth the millennia you've waited. It might be tomorrow, it might be next year. It could even be ten centuries from now. Whenever it will be, it will be worth it. Edward certainly is,' I added wistfully.

He smiled, though small. 'I suppose you're right.' He straightened up. 'Enough of my pathetic love life. What do you plan to do now?'

'Quit,' I said automatically. 'Though I don't know how…'

'I have an idea.'

'Humor me.'

'Chelsea could help. I'm sure Marcus wouldn't mind helping, too. I'm sure the rest of us would do whatever it took,' Alec said kindly.

'But at what cost?' I mused.

'They'll understand, Bella. They're all mated, except for me, of course. They understand what it's like to be separated from their mate. They have the benefit of mating within the Guard, or at least persuading Aro to let their mate join, like in Chelsea's case, though I always thought it more of blackmail. Don't you remember that one who left voluntarily? The vegetarian, I think.'

'Eleazar?' The name sounded weird on my tongue. 'He's with the Denali coven, up in Alaska.'

'Yes, him,' Alec confirmed. 'He left when he found his mate out of the castle. Aro let him go.'

'But… how?' I breathed. 'How did he persuade Aro?'

'I don't know,' Alec admitted. 'The Cullens are good friends with the Denali coven, aren't they? I'm sure Edward would be more than willing to contact him to ask.'

'Good idea,' I agreed.

'Even though I'm immensely jealous of you, Bella, I'll miss you dearly,' he said after a few minutes of silence. 'You don't just have a mate now, you have family.'

'I'll miss you too, Alec. You ought to come visit sometime, when things at the castle get too boring without me,' I joked.

'Sounds like a good idea.' He grinned at me – a rare occurrence. 'You're sure about this?'

'Oh, yes.' I tried to sound sure, but I failed miserably.

'Talk to me,' he demanded.

'It feels right. We feel right together… it sounds incredibly clichéd of me to say this, but it feels like we're two pieces of a puzzle. It feels perfect, almost like I was made for him. He makes me feel amazing; despite the short time we've known each other. I've never felt this way.'

'Why are you so unsure, then?'

'The Volturi is all that I've ever known – I don't remember much of my human life, though it's not like there was plenty worth remembering. To start a new phase of this life with only him to guide me… that's what I'm not sure about.'

'But his family adores you.'

'They do,' I agreed. 'But if I were to succeed in leaving the Guard, where would I go if I didn't go to him? And going to him would mean intruding on his family. I don't want to go into something I'm not a hundred percent sure and then have to back out or give up in the end, because it's failing. You know me, Alec,' I said sagely. 'I'm stubborn and my pride often gets the better of me.'

He was silent again; the only sounds around us the rustling of the leaves in the cool fall breeze. 'But you love him, don't you? And he loves you.'

'Love…' I mused again. 'I'm not sure if it can be called love, Alec.'

He rolled his eyes. 'You're mates, Isabella. If it is not love, then what is it?'

'I suppose.'

'It will all work out in the end,' Alec promised.

'I know,' I said quietly, letting silence envelope us once more.

We sat for a few more hours, watching the day fade and shift fluidly into night. It was peaceful – neither of us talked. The atmosphere was filled with sounds of animals and the small, barely noticeable sounds the plants would make. It was nice being able to just sit and not do anything, to have your mind completely blank out. Dawn was just breaking when we decided to leave. The sky was awash with pale oranges, baby pinks and innocent purples, woven seamlessly into a blanket and draped across the sky.

'I'm sure the others are concerned,' Alec said, hopping off his tree lightly and I did the same.

'They know we can take care of ourselves,' I disagreed, landing lightly on the forest floor.

'By others I meant Edward,' he clarified. 'He _is _your mate after all.'

I took off in a sprint. 'He has no reason to worry.'

He started running, too. 'He will, Isabella, trust me. You have, after all, disappeared to the woods for a lengthy period of time with one of the world's most powerful and handsome vampires.'

I laughed. 'You're an arrogant little thing, aren't you, Alec?'

I almost heard his smirk in his reply. 'Can't fault me; Aro does rub off on you after a while.'

* * *

The creek we had been at was moderately far from the house, about an hour's distance running. As we ran, the forest slowly came to life, the animals waking from their slumber and filling the forest with sounds of contentment.

About five miles out from the house, I dropped my shields, knowing that Edward would probably be able to hear me. We had an amateur telepath who had just joined the Guard and while his power wasn't as strong as Edward's – it was often intermittent – he was able to hear within a ten-mile radius, so I was certain Edward would hear me.

_Edward_, _I'm so sorry, _I thought furiously. _Forgive me. Alec is very dear to me, you must understand that, but he is a friend and nothing more. I can't lose him._

We were nearing the house now – I could faintly hear the footsteps as everybody gathered on the porch to await our return. The breeze blew, and I was hit by a myriad of scents, though there was only one that I could pick out confidently: Edward's.

Alec slowed to a walk, as did I. A few hundred feet away, however, I saw Edward and could not resist running to him. I sprinted as quickly as I could, and slammed into him.

I tangled my hands in his hair, burying my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply. He smelled of lilac and honey and the sun, if it had a smell. There was something stronger, more potent, that I had quickly come to identify as his own. It was a very light scent, but distinctly masculine.

'Bella, Bella, Bella,' he said softly. 'You silly girl.'

I whimpered into his neck. What if he had thought differently, and if there hadn't been the Guard or whoever it was who told him the truth? What if he got angry at me and decided to leave? It had only been a short period of time, but I was growing increasingly attached and it scared me.

'I understand, love.' His voice was quiet, velvet. He pulled back so he was looking at me. He said nothing, but I understood. I was to him what he was to me. We didn't want to lose the other at all costs. 'Come, let's go inside.'

I nodded numbly, still traumatized by my thoughts of what could've been, and let him lead me inside, the others trailing behind. He led me up to his room, while I heard almost distantly the sound of the Guard and the Cullens settling in the living room, with Alec beginning to speak.

The second the door was closed, he crushed me to his hard torso. His arms were tight, locking me in a granite grip. Pulling away once again, he brought his mouth down to mine. His lips were urgent and desperate, and I could almost feel the fear behind them. He, too, was afraid of losing me.

'Edward,' I breathed dizzily when we separated. We took a second to catch our breath, his sweet exhales fanning across my face. He leaned down to brush his lips against mine once more quickly.

'You are my life now,' he said serenely, his eyes never leaving mine. Behind those golden irises, I felt the depth of emotion and passion. I was his life now, just as he was mine. I reached a hand up to touch him, to make sure that this was real, that _he _was real. If this was all a joke, I would spend the rest of my existence causing the very perpetrator as much torture as I could.

'I love you,' I said quietly, wishing I had bigger words. Bigger, more extravagant, more flamboyant words. Words that could begin to describe my feelings for him. But I knew there were none, for no combination of any twenty-six letters would ever suffice.

He kissed me again, pulling me down on the bed, and we did not resurface.

* * *

I think we had watched the sun rise and set roughly seventeen times before we return from paradise. I can't be sure, though, because often when the sun chose to make itself known or take its leave, I'd be… occupied, for lack of better word.

We had decided that we ought to spend some time with the family – well, I decided, at least. Edward was reluctant, but he did what he wanted.

It was when we had watched the sun for the eighteenth time that I had counted, that I had painstakingly moved out of bed. My joints were tired from overuse and underuse at the same time, and I moved slow, even by human standards.

'Why so slow, love?' Edward asked from where he was in bed, lounging against the headboard. His arms were spread, a welcoming gesture. I took a deep breath, willing myself _not _to return. 'Did I tire you out?'

'On the contrary,' I replied, disappearing into the closet to scrounge for some decent clothes. 'Underuse, I suspect.'

'Underuse?' he said. '_That_ was underuse? I'd love to see overuse, Bella.'

I snorted in a rather unladylike manner and continued to look for clothes. Alice, of course, had bought me some and hung them on the right side of the closet. However, they were all so brightly colored and frilly and lacy looking that I didn't dare step within five feet. So I shrugged on the jeans I had worn when we had first entered this haven, wearing a pair of Edward's boxers as underwear.

I reentered the bedroom and Edward growled.

'Are you sure we have to spend time with them?' he pleaded. 'I'm sure they won't mind.' His gaze had turned hungry again, his eyes fierce.

'Behave,' I chided. 'If I'm going to be living here with you after I leave the castle, I want your family to think of me as something other than a sex-crazed harpy.'

Loud laughter boomed from below.

'A sex-crazed harpy?' Edward mused. 'Sex-crazed, yes, but not a harpy.'

'Insolent,' I said, finally finding my bra on the floor. I slid it on, and disappeared back into the closet to look for a shirt.

'Alice,' I half-moaned. 'What am I going to _wear_?' There would be no way whatsoever that I would even touch the right side of the closet.

Edward was at my side in thirteen seconds. 'Wear something of mine,' he offered huskily. My breath hitched at the sound of his voice and he smirked knowingly. 'You _are_ wearing my boxers after all,' he added, reaching down to snap the elastic.

I slapped his hand away, continuing on my search. Finally, I found a black sweater of Edward's that I liked. I ended up pulling on a thin undershirt that I had found on the safer side of the right half, where the neutral colors were, and shrugging on the sweater.

He growled again, now fully dressed. 'My God, Bella…' he began, trailing off. 'The way you look in my clothes.' He muttered words under his breath too quick even for me to catch. 'Please, let's stay.'

'But you're already dressed,' I reminded him. 'And it will be nice to spend some time with your family. You do get a bit boring after a while.'

'Boring?' He arched a perfect eyebrow. 'I'll show you boring, Miss Swan.' His eyes turned mischievous and I knew what was coming next.

I sprinted out of the room, flying down the staircase. My feet barely touched the wood.

'Come back here, Bella!' he yelled. 'You know I'll get you!'

I had just reached the landing, and turning around to check, I didn't see him. Funny, I thought he had been right behind—

'Gotcha,' Edward whispered in my ear, practically appearing in thin air, wrapping his arms around me from behind. He nuzzled his face in my hair, breathing deeply. 'I told you I'd get you.'

I spun around, facing him. 'You already have me,' I said, smiling, leaning up to kiss him.

A loud cough separated us. 'You guys could at least wait till we're out of the room to make out, or, like, go back to your room,' Emmett suggested.

Edward smiled cheekily at me, mouthing _I told you so_.

I snorted. 'Right. Then we'd _never _come out.'

'Eh, true.' Emmett shrugged his shoulders. 'You guys make _way _too much noise.' If I could blush, my face would've been strawberry red by now. 'How much damage, Edward?'

Edward's eyes narrowed. 'Just the headboard.' I laughed then, picturing the mangled mess of the headboard we had left behind. It was true, though – most of the bed was still standing, on its own at least. The four metal posts were upright, though dented and featured imprints of both our fingers.

'Really?'

'Would you like to see, Emmett?'

He grinned. 'Another time, Eddie. I owe Jasper a rematch on the XBOX.'

'Don't call me Eddie,' Edward growled. 'Honestly, Emmett, how many times must I tell you that?' He advanced, but Emmett had already left the room, whistling.

Edward rolled his eyes and led me to the living room, where Emmett, Jasper, Alice and Rosalie were. Jasper and Emmett had already started the game, while Rosalie devoured _Car & Driver_ and Alice paged through _Vogue_.

'Where's everybody?' I asked, settling onto a loveseat with Edward and throwing my legs onto his lap.

'Carlisle went hunting and Esme of course followed. The Guard has gone up to the mountains, I think,' Jasper said, his eyes never leaving the screen. 'Something about training. I would've liked to go, but Emmett here all but held me prisoner.'

I smiled fondly. They must've gone up to wrestle – Felix and Demetri had too much strength in them, and this was a regular occurrence as a way to let off steam. Renata and Chelsea enjoyed tackling each other. Jane and Alec often played a part in these fights, either as referee or as an extra factor, causing either sensory deprivation or pain to increase the challenge. 'I'm sure they'll go again before they leave.'

'They've gone thrice in the past five days,' he continued. 'I cannot blame them – I would've liked to escape too. Honestly, Edward, the lust emanating from that room was ridiculous.'

'Did we overwhelm you?' Edward smirked.

'I took care of that,' Alice piped up, grinning devilishly.

Like I said, if I could blush, I would've.

* * *

_Next chapter will be up sometime later this week. Also I'll be posting a new story about baby Bella... heehee. I've always loved stories about baby Bella, so I thought I'd give it a hand. Not sure when it'll be up, though, I want to write at least the prologue and two chapters before I put it up. Soon, hopefully._

_As always, leave me a review! I'd love to hear what you all think, whether it's a compliment or criticism. I welcome both with open arms. (that sounds kinda weird, hmm)_

_Clara_


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